2 MiLLlGAN, Description of a N ezv Kestrel from W.A. [,sf'july 



Cases have been recorded in Europe where Kestrels, when pressed 

 hard for food, have had recourse to young game. I have not, 

 however, observed this habit with the Nankeen Kestrel in 

 Victoria or Western Australia, and have had splendid oppor- 

 tunities of observing their habits in both States. It is said that 

 the common Kestrel of Europe is represented by a dark resident 

 race in countries bordering on its southern range. Allowing for 

 a tendency towards variability in size and colouring amongst 

 members of the genus, I think, nevertheless, that upon a com- 

 parison of the new species with that of the Eastern bird (which 

 is identical with our coast bird) the specific differences will 

 appear such as to justify, on sight, the above separation. 



I assign the scientific name of C.erchneis unicolor to the new 

 bird, and the vernacular name of Western Kestrel. 



Notes on a Trip to the Wongan Hills, Western 



Australia. 



By Alex. Wm. Milligan 



{Hon. Ornithologist, Perth Museum, W.A.) 



Part II. , 



Nests and Eggs. — From the preceding remarks (Part I., Emu, 

 vol. iii., p. 217) it will be gathered that most of the birds had 

 finished nesting, or had, at least, brought out their first broods. 

 Some, however, were still nesting, such as Glycypfiila albifrons, 

 Glycyphila fulvifrons, Ptilotis sonora, and Micrceca assi^nilis. 

 I was much pleased to discover the pretty nest of the last- 

 mentioned on our return journey, between the Mission Station 

 and Mogumber. The nest was placed in the fork of a fallen 

 branch of a eucalypt, which had become barkless and bleached 

 from decay and weather. The branch was close to the main 

 road, where vehicles and horsemen passed daily, but the traffic 

 evidently caused the birds no grave concern. Whilst the bird 

 sat on the nest until we approached within a yard of it, it was 

 almost impossible to detect it, so alike were the general colours 

 of the bird, nest, and branch. 



Of nests containing young the most notable were those of 

 Podargus strigoidcs and Uroaetus audax. Of the former species 

 we observed two nests, each containing two young ones. The 

 first one was discovered in an isolated Casuarina belt on the 

 lake countr)^, and so closely did the nest and young resemble 

 the surrounding branches that we should have passed within 

 a yard of it had not the parent bird fiown away and thus drawn 

 our attention. A photograph of the nest is reproduced. The 

 nest itself was an ill-constructed, shallow, flimsy structure, the 

 builders having evidently relied to a great degree on the inclined 

 fork and under twigs of the dead sapling for the strength of the 

 structure. The second one was discovered by our driver in a 



