60 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



tailed Eagle has great power of wing, and can often be seen 

 performing graceful evolutions at a great height for hours at a 

 time. 



Whistling Eagle (Haliastur aphenurus). — This bird well 

 merits its name, as whether on the wing or at rest it is seldom 

 silent, but keeps up a peculiar whistling note. It is not at all 

 choice in its food. At Stevenson Creek a number of crows 

 gathered around our camp and picked up pieces of fat or mutton 

 chop bones thrown to them. As soon as the crows secured the 

 morsels several Whistling Eagles kept pouncing upon them and 

 depriving them of their spoil. Several of their large stick nests 

 were seen along the course of the rivers, and at every waterhole 

 which we passed a pair or more of these birds were seen. 



Little Eagle (Aquila morphnoides). — At several points of 

 our journey I thought I saw these birds, but as there was a 

 slight doubt I did not record them. Mr. E. C. Cowle, who 

 seemed very positive about the matter, and described the birds 

 accurately, has since forwarded me one of their eggs, which was 

 taken from a large stick nest in a desert oak tree, from which he 

 flushed the bird. As soon as possible after the departure of the 

 bird a native was sent up to the nest, and found one fresh egg, 

 which Mr. Cowle kindly carried in his bosom for over ioo miles, 

 as he had no other packing appliances, and here it is, a perfect 

 specimen. 



Black-breasted Buzzard (Gypoictinia melanosternonj. — I had 

 only two opportunities of identifying these birds. One was eating 

 a fresh-killed wallaby when it was disturbed by a dingo. On 

 another occasion several were seen flying near our camp and 

 alighting on the ground amongst the porcupine grass. I should 

 like very much to be able to test the accuracy of Gould's account 

 of their method of disturbing the emu from its nest and then 

 breaking and devouring its eggs. 



Australian Goshawk (Astxir approxbnmts), — These birds 

 were several times found, especially where there was anypermanent 

 water with vegetation around the margin. Such places not only 

 afford shelter for a number of frogs, &c, on which the Goshawk 

 delights to feed, but also prevent the young waterfowl seeing 

 its approach until it swoops amongst them and seizes a victim 

 from the surface of the water. Their stick nests are somewhat 

 large in proportion to the birds. Mr. Cowle has sent me several 

 clutches of their eggs, some of which are very rough, dull white, 

 with occasional buff stains as though soiled with weak coffee. 



Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrhocephalus ). — I had 

 several opportunities of observing these birds. Like the Gos- 

 hawks, they were always found near water. I found them similar 

 in habit to those met with nearer home. In all that I have dis- 

 sected, frogs, lizards, insects, and small birds formed their chief food. 



