"^'o'J^-J Stray Feathers. 1 69 



less than that, and with quiet movements you could often get 

 sight of them. Then if anyone did any digging, or cut some grass, 

 a few minutes after leaving you could see two or three birds prospect- 

 ing for the insects disturbed, and this would occur sometimes with 

 the person still within a few feet of the place. — Alfred Compton. 

 Stonyfell (S.A.), 24/11/04. 



* * * 



Yellow-eared Honey-eater. — A small party of three spent a 

 Sunday about the middle of November, 1904, at Ferntree Gully. 

 While partaking of our luncheon in a quiet spot in the heart of the 

 Gully, we were much interested by the fearless actions of a bird, 

 which we identified as the Yellow-eared Honey-eater {Ptilotis 

 lewini). One of our party was eating a sardine sandwich, when 

 the bird alighted on a small stick lying on the ground, and partook 

 of the sandwich readily out of his hand, and then flew off with its 

 mouth full, probably to feed a young family. This performance 

 was repeated several times, the bird returning to where our things 

 were spread each time. It not only relished sardine sandwich, 

 but showed a decided liking for jam-roll and scone, and finished 

 up with banana. The most amusing part was that the bird was 

 not at all alarmicd by our presence, as we were freely discussing 

 its markings and to what species it belonged all the time it was 

 filling its mouth. — Fred. P. Godfrey. 23rd February, 1905. 



Albinism — Rhipidura tricolor. — My attention was recently 



drawn, by Mr. Frank Leake, of this city, law student, to the 



existence of a pure white individual of the Black-and- White Fantail 



which frequented the livery stables attached to the United Service 



Hotel, and situate in the very heart of the city. A close inspection 



proved the bird to be wholly white in plumage, and to have hlack 



eyes and very pale brown legs, feet, and bill. The man in charge 



of the stables said the bird was about a month old,- and that the 



two normal-coloured birds which accompanied it were the 



parent birds. The members of the family were wholly indifferent 



to our near approach and presence, and went on capturing insects 



on or about the legs and hoofs of the stalled horses. Of what great 



value these birds are to live stock ! How could the larvae of the 



bot-fly, or the fly itself, flourish where these invaluable searchers 



exist ! — Alex. Wm. Milligan. Perth, Western Australia, 



22/2/05. 



* * * 



Western Notes. — When at Mundaring recently, about 30 miles 

 from Perth, I saw some children who had just been attacked by 

 Eagles when out in the bush by themselves. They said that the 

 Eagles were very fierce, and it was only by throwing stones and 

 sticks at them that they kept them back, but as it was they were 

 swooping within a few feet of them. There were seven Eagles 

 altogether. Three or four would attack in front, the others from 

 the rear while the children were beating off the front ones. 



