Vol IV. 



1905 



Stray Feathers. ^ 39 



assume the black plumage. After watching the young birds in 

 captivity, it would not surprise me to find that the brown birds 

 are males, for they seem to be hardier and to feather quicker than 

 the black ones. Then, again, we very often note the young 

 brown one warbling very quietly to itself, but have not noticed 

 the black ones doing it." 



[Accompanying the beautiful photographs of the nests of Black 

 Butcher-Birds, Mr. Cornwall sent a picture of the nest of the 

 Helmeted Friar-Bird (^Philemon buceroides). The nest was built 

 in a tree near the main street of Cairns, and was constructed of 

 a great quantity of twine of many kinds, besides braid, tape, 

 wool, cotton, silk, wadding, &c., &c. — Eds.] 



From Magazines, &c. 



The Journal of Agriculture (Victoria) continues to give 

 coloured plates of useful insectivorous birds. Part 10 (November) 

 contains an excellent drawing of the familiar Yellow-rumped 

 Tit {Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) by Mr. C. C. Brittlebank. The 

 accompanying letterpress is by Mr. C. French, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



Our member, Mr. James R. M'Clymont, M.A., has contributed 



some " Notes on a Few Birds, Chiefly Migratory and Nomadic, 



Observed in the Vicinity of Hobart " to The Zoologist (15th 



August, 1904). The Pallid Cuckoo {Cuculus pallidus), together 



with some of its foster parents ; the Spine-tailed Swift (Chmtura 



caudacuta), and the Swift-Lorikeet {N anodes discolor') are those 



chiefly mentioned, with interesting and original field notes. 



With regard to the Swifts, Mr. M'Clymont suggests that the 



use of the spines on the tail-tips is to enable the bird to cling to 



" some perpendicular surface of great hardness, such as of a 



precipitous cliff." 



* * * 



Genera Avium. — A specimen sheet of the letterpress of this 

 work, embracing eight pages, has been received. To say that 

 the forthcoming book is to be illustrated by drawings by M. 

 Keulemans is sufficient to give it authoritative standing, but 

 when it is borne in mind that Mr. P. Wytsman is editor, and 

 that amongst the contributors are numbered such men of stand- 

 ing in avicultural science as Mr. Ernst Hartert, of the Zoological 

 Museum, Tring, no further recommendation is necessary. 

 Passeres : Fam. Eurylaemidae form the subject of the specimen 

 sheet. The descriptions are clearly and concisely given (in 

 English), and all information is brought up to date. The issue 

 of the book is limited to 300 copies, and the price will be based 

 on a charge of 2d. per page of letterpress, is. 3d. for each plain 

 plate, and 2s. 6d. for each coloured one. 



