116 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



saw several hundred Straw-necked Ibises (Geronticus spinicollis) 

 disturbed by the train. It would be interesting to ascertain if these 

 birds intend breeding in this locality, as their laying season is very 

 near, and they do not show any signs of migrating. On alighting 

 at Melton we discovered that two more members had travelled in 

 the same train, but had not seen us until the train stopped. A start 

 was soon made along a course frequently travelled by members of 

 this Club. Skirting the racecourse is a nice belt of timber, in 

 which I think more varieties of birds are to be found than in 

 any other place within a similar distance of Melbourne. Here 

 several species of Parrakeets were seen, and the Little Geobasileus 

 had family cares in full swing. Nests were frequently found 

 containing either young birds or eggs. As we wandered through 

 the timber a Brown Hawk attracted notice, screaming and 

 perching near us. His nest was soon discovered, with his mate 

 sitting upon it. Although several shots were fired in close 

 proximity to the tree, the bird never left her nest. Red- 

 capped, Flame-breasted, Scarlet-breasted, and Hooded Robins 

 were seen, but had not commenced nesting. A little delay 

 was made here in the hope that a member from Myrniong 

 would catch up to us, but while we were waiting for 

 him here he was a mile ahead waiting for us. In crossing the 

 open land several Black-breasted Plovers rose, but so far away 

 that the locality of their nests could not be discovered. A slight 

 shower passing over caused us to take shelter for a few minutes 

 under the thatched roof of an old stable, from which a Little Geo- 

 basileus flew. Its nest was soon found amongst the thatch — a very 

 unusual place for these birds. Some Blue-banded Parrakeets were 

 now seen, but as one shot proved them to be in very bad feather 

 no more were fired at. Another addition was now made to our 

 party by the arrival of Mr. Lidgett, from Myrniong, who had seen 

 us in the distance, and we now ascertained that he had ridden 

 across on horseback, leaving his steed at Mr. Raleigh's (who is 

 ever obliging to members of this Club), and had been hunting for 

 some time. A start was now made in earnest along the gullies. 

 The party made an involuntary split, but on rejoining at lunch 

 time it was found that this season the birds are all very late, so 

 the oologists did not get much for their trouble. Many nests of 

 various kinds of Honeyeaters were found, some just commenced, 

 others complete and ready for laying, whilst a few contained eggs. 

 As the party again proposed to separate, it was agreed that two 

 should go along the gullies, whilst the others worked round in a 

 semicircle, in a general westerly course. A few rabbits were 

 now seen, and a shot at one disturbed a Sulphur-crested 

 Cockatoo from its nest. Here the White-winged Chough 

 and Pomatorrhinus were found in considerable numbers, 

 but their nests could not be seen. It will perhaps be remem- 



