Vo'- 1^-1 Stray Feathers. 2 I 



1904 I -^ 



t2<!/fl) has appeared round Launceston. 1 find that the afternoon 

 of the 13 th February was the first occasion on which I noted 

 them. The time was 5 p.m., and the wind from the S.E. The 

 birds came with the wind right behind tliem and disappeared 

 shortly afterwards in a north-westerly direction. The next 

 birds were not observed until the i8th March, but after that 

 up to the beginning of April they put in many appearances. 

 The time of visit varied from 12.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. The 

 sky was always more or less overcast, and the wind in the same 

 direction, S.E. The birds always came right with the wind, 

 and always disappeared at a great elevation almost due N.W. 

 The flocks never exceeded a couple of dozen birds, and they 

 never wasted much time circling round. On the 20th March 

 Messrs. H. and A. Weedon, both of Launceston, who were 

 spending a holiday at Low Head, counted 600 Swallows {Hii undo 

 neoxena) perched on the telegraph wires. This was at dusk. 

 Next morning not one was to be seen in the neighbourhood. 

 It was on this date the bulk of the Launceston Swallows dis- 

 appeared. Two or three pairs stayed behind, and were to be 

 seen about the streets of the city until the middle of April. But 

 this was nothing unusual, as last winter a pair stayed with us 

 the whole time. — Frank M. Littler. 10/5/04. 

 * * * 



Clarke Island (Bass Strait) Notes. — loth September. — The 

 Cuckoo-Shrike (Graucalus parvirostris) has just made its 

 appearance here, in the usual small flocks of 6 or 8. Unfortunately 

 they do not nest here to any extent, and I only know of one 

 clutch of eggs being secured. The Black Oyster-catcher and 

 the Pied Oyster-catcher are busy getting ready for nesting, and 

 one can see the various holes in the sand as a preliminary per- 

 formance before laying. 



20th September. — The Wood-Swallow {Artanius sordidus) is 

 also visiting here. It is a very pretty bird — colour deep grey 

 above, breast white and grey, with mottled black and white under 

 belly and butt of tail. A few Swifts were seen to-day, but, unlike 

 most years, have not appeared in any numbers. I have just 

 seen a most beautiful Parrakeet, very rare indeed here; colour — 

 green back, breast orange, bright red bands on either side of 

 face ; very long tail (bright green) ; size of a Wood-Swallow. 



15th October. — The Painted Quail {Turnix varid) have begun 

 to lay. This is remarkably early, as November is the usual time. 

 They simply make a hole in the ground, wherein are deposited 

 four eggs, smaller than those of the Brown Quail, grey-brown, 

 covered with chocolate and grey spots. The White-eye (Zosterops) 

 is nesting too. Being of a green colour, they instinctively choose 

 the young twigs of trees to build their nest in, which is quite a 

 work of art, composed of cobwebs and fine hair on the outside, 

 by which it is bound to the branch, and lined inside with black 

 and white hair. They almost always choose the mountain tea- 

 tree. 



