V ; 1 - 1 "'] Stray Feathers. 235 



Button-Quails in Queensland. — The most noticeable feature 

 of the half-year has been the great influx of Quails,* which have 

 apparently come here to breed, and have been doing so for six 

 months. I took eggs on 22nd August, and saw plenty of young 

 birds, and again on the 8th of this month (January) caught 

 young just able to run and hide. In the 20 years I have been on 

 the Peak Downs I can only remember them being thick about 

 four times, though there are nearly always a few. Of course 

 grass and herbage are very rank this year, owing to the dearth 

 of stock and marsupials, but how did the Quails guess that ? 

 I rather think, but have no proof, that the years they have come 

 have been when good rains succeed a period of drought. I know 

 that certain grasses grow then which are not always here, 

 although heavy seeders, and I think that the ordinary grasses 

 grow stronger and seed more freely after the spell and sweetening 

 of the ground that a drought entails, so that the birds are sure 

 of ample food supplies and plenty of cover. They are so small 

 that it is rather like " breaking a butterfly upon the wheel " 

 shooting them with a 1 2-bore. But the flesh is very white and 

 toothsome, and they are so numerous that it is not hard to walk 

 them up. — F. B. Campbell-Ford. Clermont, 1 5/1/04. 



Some Murray Swamp Notes, 28/12/03. — A White Crane's 

 or Egret's nest (Mesophoyx plumifera) with two large young 

 ones was seen in a " shaggery " (Phalacrocorax melanoleucus), 

 about 15 feet high, and situated in a small eucalypt, the large 

 stick nest being easily separated from the Cormorant's nests 

 around it, which were built with grass and eucalypt leaves. All 

 seemed perfectly happy together, although the Cormorants 

 perched within 18 inches of the Crane's nest. The number of 

 young observed in Cormorants' nests did not exceed two per 

 clutch. Wood-Duck, or rather Maned Geese (Chenonetta jubata), 

 were remarkably few, and it appears from observation that 

 these birds require greater protection, since they seem to be on 

 the decrease. This is also the case with Bittern (Botaurus 

 pcecilopterus). On the other hand. Nankeen Herons (Nycticorax 

 caledonicus) appear to be increasing. Teal (Nettion gibbcrifrons) 

 and Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) were plentiful, as also 

 Spur-winged Plover (Lobivanellus lobatus). Landrails (Hypotce- 

 nidia philippinensis) were found nesting, and as many as 1 1 

 eggs were counted in some nests. In an orchard close by, 

 Leatherheads (Philemon corniculatus) and the small Sanguineous 

 Honey-eaters (Myzomela sanguinolenta) waged ceaseless war on 

 the ripe figs. — A. Mattingley. 



* * * 



New Mutton-Bird Rookery. — To those who are interested in 

 Mutton-Birds (Pufflnus tcnuirostris), either from appreciation of 



* Chiefly Turnix velox and T. pyrrhotliorax. 



