THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 129 



Grass Owl appears to be much more scarce this season than in 

 the previous ones. 

 The Strigidse are — 



3. Chestnut-faced Owl (Strix castanops, Gould). 



4. Sooty Owl (Strix tenebricosa, Gould). 



5. Grass Owl {Strix Candida, Tickell). 



6. Delicate Owl (Strix delicatula, Gould). 



7. Boobook Owl=i= (Ninox boobook, Lath.) 



8. Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua, Gould). 



Of the four known Australian Caprimulgidse, we have — 



9. Owlet Nightjar (^Egotheles Novce-tlollandice, V. and H.) 

 On 2nd December, 1894, I found a 3-egg clutch, the usual 



number, in the hollow of a eucalypt. 

 In the same family is — 



10. Tawny-shouldered Podargus (Podargus strigoides, Lath.) 

 The " British Museum Catalogue," xvi., p. 620, has the 



amalgamation of six Australian species into this one. The tawny 

 appearance on the shoulder certainly characterizes this a distinct 

 species, be the others so or not. 



On 19th October, 1894, was found a nest containing two grey- 

 downed young, with male parent sitting at angle of 45°, and 

 motionless. After a few minutes' interval, as if to cast a shadow of 

 doubt on the primates below, its eyelids were opened, and re- 

 vealed a distinctive marking easy of observation in the broad 

 yellow iris. The female was perched parallel with an almost 

 horizontal bough above, and so motionless that it was mistaken 

 for an iguana. Both were studies, and almost unrecognizable. How- 

 ever, a weighty stick carefully deposited destroyed the equilibrium 

 of one and caused a movement of the wings of the other. The 

 gizzards showed remnants of land crustaceans and coleoptera ; 

 and while on the topic of food I might mention these birds as 

 destroyers of garden vermin, such as slugs. On 25th November, 

 1894, a nest was found placed at the junction of three nearly 

 perpendicular limbs ; this is an unusual place. The nest was 

 disturbed, so the birds deserted, to the best of ray belief for this 

 cause. On the Flinders-street station, in November last, I was 

 somewhat amused at being offered a young bird for the sum of 

 one shilling. It was close season. The vendor either had a 

 bold spirit, or found it folly to be wise. 



The skin of a young male shows the light parts of the entire 

 plumage to be grey, with extremities of primary wing feathers the 

 same. This latter is quite lost in the adult. 



Of the two Swifts that pass here in migration I have noted 

 only the 



11. Spine-tailed Swift (Chmtura caudacuta, Lath.) 



* The species marked * were also noted in January, 1895, ^^ ^" altitude of 

 5,000 feet above sea level— the Dargo Plateau, North Gippsland. 



