96 Book Notices. [^^ 



Vicl. Nai. 

 Vol. XXXI. 



to previous synonyms ; thus, the name Epinephile does not 

 'appear even in the index. It is to be hoped that the authors 

 will be well repaid for the great expense the work must have 

 involved, while the pubHshers. and especially the printers, 

 W. C. Peniold and Co. Ltd., Sydney, are to be congratulated 

 on the excellent way in which they have carried out their share 

 of the undertaking. Would that some lepidopterist would 

 deal with our moths in the same exhaustive manner ! 



The Cup Moth. — The larv;e of this moth are particularly 

 numerous on the eucalypts, both young and old, at the present 

 time. During a recent ramble in the Lilydale cUstrict it was 

 almost impossible to pick a small branch without finding one 

 or two larvae on it. — F. G. A. B. 



About Birds. — Mr. Tom Fisher, of Ercildoune, near Waubra 

 (Ballarat district), contributed some interesting bird notes to 

 the Nature Column of the Argus of Friday, 2nd October. He 

 says : — "The Spine-billed Honey-eaters, Acanthorhynchus tentii- 

 rostris. are always numerous here throughout the year, and I 

 have on many occasions seen their nests. They are particularly 

 fond of the red-flowered Pyrus japonica, and it was in these 

 shrubs that I generally found their nests, and always in Sep- 

 tember or early October, when the bushes were in full bloom, 

 so that the birds did not have to seek far for honey. In fact, 

 they could reach the flowers from the nest. On several 

 occasions I also found late nests in the wistarias, which grow in 

 such profusion here. These nests, too. were built while the 

 plants were in full bloom. It occurred to me at the time that 

 the birds displayed a thorough knowledge or instinct in the 

 choice of locality, so that abundance of nectar was to be had 

 for feeding their young. The nests were never more than 3 feet 

 or 4 feet from the ground. Both the White-cheeked and White- 

 bearded Honey-eaters choose the thick clumj-js of bracken ferns 

 on the hillsides for building, and make their nests about 2 feet 

 from the ground, and not infrequently half a dozen nests quite 

 close to each other. These birds always go to the ferns to roost 

 at night, and gather in small flocks for that purpose. Two 

 families of young coots have come to light this week, almost a 

 month earlier than usual, and already we have become quite 

 friendly. 1 think they are the most pleasing little birds that 

 swim. I like the patient care the old ones take of them, always 

 on the alert for danger, and still very trustful when they know 

 you. The Reed Warblers are back once more, quite uj) to time 

 again, and the reed-beds are ringing with music from morning 

 until night." 



