V °i 9 oTJ Stray Feathers. 233 



Stray Feathers. 



The Freckled Duck. — Mr. Sep. Robinson has noticed that 

 when the Freckled Duck (Stictonetta ncBvosd) is breeding its 

 bill becomes quite red, like that of a Black Swan. He saw scores 

 of them (the Duck) earlier in the year, but none with red bills. — 

 D. Le S. 



Blackbirds and Vine Caterpillars. — A neighbour tells me 



he has lately been interested in watching both of these — the 



latter as a pest, the former (this is more than many of us do, I 



am afraid) as a friend. A vine which gave promise of about 



1 cwt. of grapes was being ravaged by caterpillars. Soon after 



sunrise my friend saw a Blackbird bring one of the green and 



black caterpillars and lay it on an asphalt path, then another 



and another, until five were ready. Then it departed with 



them for its nest, and fed a brood therein. — H. KENDALL. 



27/2/04. 



* * * 



Variable Clutch of Pardalote's Eggs. — Among the eggs 

 taken by me this season are a set of Pardalotus rubricatus, one 

 egg of which has a number of line pink specks dotted over it, 

 especially at the larger end. A second egg has a few specks, 

 while the third is quite white. Another bird that is here now, 

 and which I have not seen in this district before, is the Chestnut- 

 breasted Finch (Munia castaneithorax). They are now breeding. 

 Yesterday I also saw among the long grass near the place several 

 of what, as far as I can make out from the description, are the 

 Masked Finch (Pocphila personata). This bird I have never 

 seen before, and I trust they will remain and breed. — H. GREEN- 

 sill Barnard. Duaringa, Q., 10/ 1/04. 



The Channelbill. — The Channelbill {Scythrops novce-hollandice) 

 has been unusually plentiful in this district during the spring, 

 and has been as reliable as ever in the matter of weather changes — 

 in fact, the shearers look upon the bird as a real prophet of evil. 

 On 1 1 th November I shot a female containing four immature 

 eggs, the largest being half an inch in diameter, and am inclined 

 to think that the Scythrops feeds at night, as the one I shot was 

 flying past at 5 a.m., and its stomach was then full of wild figs, 

 and I know of no figs growing nearer than ten miles from here. 

 It was just sunrise when I shot the bird, so it follows that it must 

 have been feeding before daylight. — H. T. WHITE. Scone, 

 N.S.W. 



Extension of Locality, Sittella leucoptera (Gould). — 

 Recently, whilst examining the skins of our Museum relating to 

 the Ccrthiidce, I was surprised to find three skins of Sittella 



