TH1C VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 59 



keenness of vision, and remarkable intelligence of the Raptores, 

 I think a good many questions which may arise are easily settled. 

 It is well known that many forms of reptiles and insects are 

 found in the barren wastes described, and these must form an 

 important item in the menu of many kinds of hawks. The lizards 

 which burrow in the sand come out of their holes to bask and 

 sleep in the sun, and then, when favourable opportunities occur, 

 the hawks dash down about ioo yards away and skim along the 

 ground with surprising velocity on their victims, which they 

 seldom fail to secure. The fact that many birds unable to keep 

 up a sustained flight often pause in their journey across these 

 dry places from exhaustion and fall an easy prey to the hawks 

 must also be borne in mind. Although some species may be 

 said to live almost entirely on prey of their own killing, others 

 are equally ready to act as scavangers, and feed on any carcass 

 they can find. If these few introductory remarks are borne in 

 mind they will, no doubt, add to the interest of the following 

 field notes. The priority of place must, of course, be accorded 

 to the 



Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax). — Much of the senti- 

 mental nonsense of my youthful days was quickly dissipated 

 when I had ample opportunity of witnessing their mode of life. 

 It has often been stated that the eagle, like the lion, will only eat 

 its own victims. The comparison may be a good one, but they 

 are equally indifferent as to what kills the prey if they only get 

 the opportunity of making a meal off it. On one occasion I 

 witnessed a pair of these birds hunting a young wallaby from 

 rock to rock on the side of a range, until at last it was secured 

 and carried off. On mentioning this circumstance to one of my 

 Central Australian friends, he informed me that they were trouble- 

 some amongst the young goats, which are kept there in large 

 numbers. On another occasion my attention was attracted to a 

 dead cow by a number of these birds, which kept flying towards 

 a certain spot and then suddenly flying up again. I approached 

 cautiously, and from an elevated spot witnessed a curious sight. 

 Two dingoes, no doubt attracted by the aroma, were making 

 their breakfast off the carcass. The eagles, which were evidently 

 desirous of having their share before the supply was exhausted, 

 kept alighting near the spoil, when the dogs retired, but before 

 the birds could satisfy their needs the dogs drove them off. 

 This was repeated several times. At Heavitree Gap Mr. South 

 directed me to where a dead bullock had been well treated with 

 strychnine a few weeks before, and there the remains of several 

 eagles and dingoes proved the potency of the drug. "When 

 gorged with food, the Wedge-tailed Eagle will sit for hours 

 perched on the highest branch he can find until partial digestion 

 has taken place. Although slow in its movements, the Wedge- 



