192 Stray Feathers. [ E™ 



years, and in spite of their eyrie being burnt by bush fires four 

 times, they this year still retain the same spot and are now 

 hatching the eggs. If robbed when the eggs are fresh they will 

 almost always lay again in the course of a month. Have just 

 examined the eyrie of a White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaetus leuco- 

 gaster) on Cape Barren Island, but the birds had just completed 

 building. This species is rather rare here, and consequently 

 it is almost impossible to get the eggs, their nests, when found, 

 being sometimes inaccessible. It is a more suspicious bird than 

 the Wedge-tail, and if often robbed will breed elsewhere. One 

 will often see hanging from the eyrie birds, fish, rats, &c, while 

 at the bottom of the nest there will be a perfect bed of bones. 



The Whistling Shrike-Thrush (Collyriocincla rectirostris) is 

 about in great numbers, and among the shrubs their bark nests 

 are in different stages of construction. I have not seen any 

 Swifts as yet, and do not expect them until the middle of Septem- 

 ber, when they appear here in thousands, only stopping, however, 

 for a few weeks. 



Only one of the Honey-eaters is laying at present — the Fulvous- 

 fronted one (Glycyphila fulvifrons), which builds in small bushes 

 about 2 feet from the ground. Its nest is made of small twigs, 

 &c, the eggs being white with a few small brown spots at the 

 larger end. I saw a beautiful bird of this family on Cape Barren 

 Island — the Tasmanian or Crescent Honey-eater (Lichmera 

 australasiand), which flits about very gently, making a slight 

 cracking noise with its wings. Brown Quail have been here 

 in thousands during the months of May, June, and July, but 

 have now almost all gone, except the usual number that are 

 always here. — J. D. MACLAINE. September, 1903. 



The Birds of Zanzibar (East Africa). — I will give you a 

 sketch of the birds I shot on the fine island of Zanzibar. This 

 island, about 40 miles long by 20 miles wide, is very rich and 

 fertile, and covered by a dense mass of vegetation — cocoa palms, 

 magnificent mango trees, bananas, papaw, jack fruit, and a 

 dozen other fruits, including oranges, indigenous to the island, 

 a most luscious and delicious fruit, very thin-skinned. Some of 

 the country is quite park-like in appearance, with huge mangoes 

 and stately cocoanut palms dotted about, and long waving grass ; 

 other parts are a mass of virgin jungle, all matted together by 

 vines and creepers of many varieties. Hence you may draw a fair 

 conclusion as to the variety of birds that would be found here. 



To commence with Corvidce. I have noticed a large black 

 Crow, but have been unable to procure it ; it seems identical 

 with the African Rook. The White-necked Raven (Corvidtur 

 albicollis) is very plentiful, and forms great scavenger parties 

 all over the island. I noticed many of the Shrike family, also 

 collected several of the Campophaga. In the middle of the day, 

 when the heat is at its most intense power, it is hot here. I have 



