Vol 

 igo2 



2^"] Stray Feathers. lO' 



strength was apparent. Few of the lagoons and swamps 

 had received their normal quantity of water, and this defi- 

 ciency was further reduced by a great shortage in the spring rain- 

 fall. Consequent upon this the Rail family were rarely seen, and 

 few observed nesting, whilst Snipe were only noticed upon one 

 or two isolated occasions. Our northern visitants, such as 

 Curlew, Sandpiper, Godwit, Golden Plover, &c., came in goodly 

 numbers, but took their departure earlier than usual. By the 

 end of March nearly all of these birds had left, none being 

 observed late in April or in May, as has been the case in some 

 seasons. Never before did I notice Spine-tailed Swifts before 

 •Christmas, but this season several were noticed during Novem- 

 ber, and, unlike the shore birds previously noticed, they remained 

 very much later than usual. This was probably due to the very 

 fine weather experienced and the consequent abundance of their 

 natural food. As a result of the advance of civilization many of 

 our feathered friends are fast disappearing, and this is especially 

 noticeable with all members of the Hawk tribe, even the once 

 common Brown Hawk and Harrier being seldom seen, whilst 

 the once fairly plentiful Wedge-tailed Eagle is almost a rare 

 thing. When seen it reminds me of the past, and calls to 

 memory the time, 35 years ago, when I have seen a dozen at a 

 time flying at varying heights, and one occasion I remember 

 counting 16 in mid-air at one time. In marked and pleasing 

 contrast to this is the increase in numbers of some of our very 

 best insectivorous birds, such as Babblers, Magpie Larks, and 

 some few others, which are increasing rapidly, partly from the 

 fact that cultivation does not decrease their food supplies, and 

 also a tendency upon the part of intelligent individuals to leave 

 them alone and recognize them as friends ; and last, but 

 perhaps not least, the warnings given by State school teachers 

 to their pupils that birds' nests must not be destroyed. I have 

 very carefully observed some species of birds that were regarded 

 by some persons as being migratory and by others as residental, 

 with a view to a settlement of this important matter. It is, I 

 believe, very difficult of elucidation, as, though isolated pairs and 

 single specimens of some species apparently remain all through, 

 still the main body seems to disappear. I refer more particularly 

 to such birds as the Ground-Lark {Ant/ms), Welcome Swallow, 

 Cuckoo-Shrike, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, &c., all of which I have 

 observed up to the present. Others, I believe, are noticed less 

 at this season than in spring and summer owing to their silence. 

 At one time very much of this locality was thickly timbered 

 by banksias, and at that time all local members of the Meli- 

 pJiagidcs, or Honey-eaters, were much more numerous than at 

 present, as the honeysuckles, so called, are nearly all destroyed 

 by the settlers opening up the timbered areas. The loss of 

 this timber has had a very marked effect upon the bees as 

 well as upon birds, on account of its very valuable honey- 



