180 FALCONIIJ.E. 



r/nilh blackisli-Jiroii-n, tin' oiUer iix'hs <if tin' jn-iinarii'x aiid oiiter secondaries diill yn'y, pnssmi/ into 

 fiilrous oil tlifi ))i.ar(/i>in of their inner N'p.hs and indixtinethi hnrred iinlh dark hron'n, their tips 

 iiarron-hj edijed n-it/i ashij-icliite^ except the three onl, r primaries, n'hieh a/so have the n.-jiicnl portion of 

 their outer wehs blackish-hronni : rump feathers a slightly paler hrun-n, mith mfous tips ; tipper tail- 

 coverts white, n-ith a snhtermiiial nifonsljrotrn bar, less distiiict on the shorter ones : tail r/reyish- 

 hroivil, ivashed }iuth riifons, n'hich is nirn-e ilistinct on the laterid feathers, mnl almost obsolete on the 

 coilral Jinir, and hacinij the renntins ofdnll blaekishdirmrn eross-bars ; upper thront nnd enr-eorerts 

 pale mfous-bronm, the latter n'ith, dark bron^n shaft streaks ; facial ruff irhite nuth a broad blaekish- 

 brotvn stripe, narroioly edi/ed nuth. riifons-bnff donni the centre of encli fenlhe.r ; all the under surface, 

 thighs, under tail and nnder n'ing-corerts fnlroas-n'hite n'ith a distinct rnfous-bron-n stripe doicu the 

 centre of each feather, broader andinore lanceolate in shape on the upper breast, and reduced to a 

 uarroio shaft line on the thighs : hill blackish-slate colour ; cere greenish-gel loiv ; leys and feet 

 greenish-biiff : iris yelloir. Total length in the Jl>'sh ;,'?'.5 inches, Tvinij lH, tail 9 1. bill /'•?, tarsus 



s-sr,. 



Adult female. — Similar in plumage to the male, Imt slightly larger. Wing 17'2-'> iuches. 

 Distribution. — Queensland, New South Wales, N'ictoria, South AustraHa, Western Australia, 

 Tasmania. 



f^r\ OITLD'S Harrier, or the more familiarly known " Swamp-Hawk " is widely distributed 

 >^J^ in suitable localities over the southern half of the Australian Continent, and is likewise 

 found in Tasmania and New Zealand. In Gould's folio edition of the " 15irds of iyistralia" it 

 is figured under Jardine and Selby's name of Circus assimilis, but the bird figured and described 

 by these authors in their " Illustrations of Ornithology " refers to the youns of the preceding 

 species, of which Gould figures and describes the adult form under the name of Circus javdinii. 



The present species is chiefly an inhabitant of the coastal districts, treiiuentinf; principally 

 rush or reed-bordered swamps, tea-tree marshes, mangrove flats, reed beds and la;,'oons. It also 

 haunts adjacent open wastes, where it obtains part of its food, which is of a \aried character. 

 Generally it may be seen flying just over the tops of the reeds or rushes, or a few feet above the 

 ground. It soars also high in the air, gyrating slowly as if in search of prey, and then descending 

 rapidly, flying perchance for some distance before it rests on some log or stone. In my early 

 collecting days this species used not to be uncommon in the neighbourhood of Melbourne, at 

 that time a great resort of waterfowl, before some of the low-lying lands were drained, and put 

 to use. I refer more particularly to the present Albert Park Lake, then in its primitive state, and 

 Middle Park, where I have shot many species of waterfowl, but is now thickly covered with 

 houses, and the present ornamental lake in the hiotanic Gardens, at that time almost solely a 

 tea-tree swamp. It was at the latter locality that I witnessed principally the many graceful 

 evolutions and aerial flights of Gould's Harrier, but known to us bird-nesting boys only as the 

 " Swamp Hawk." I have many a time watched this Harrier swoop down on a Black Duck 

 (Anas superciliosa ) while swimming with her brood of young in down on the lake, and which all 

 disappeared Hke magic, by suddenly divine;, as the Harrier swept over the spot occupied by the 

 Duck and her brood a second or two before. A far more exciting sight was it to watch Harriers 

 successfully disturb one of the vast flocks of Nankeen Night Herons {Nycticorax calcdonicus) that 

 every evening during the late summer months used to roost on the tops of the tea-trees at the 

 eastern end of this sheet of water, and with a lightning-like dash clutch or strike in mid air the 

 bird it had singled out as its prey. Once I saw a Heron strucic ; it uttered a harsh piercing 

 shriek, and fell in a slanting direction among the low tea-trees near the margin of the water, to 

 be followed by the Harrier, who descended in the scrub, and doubtless devoured its prey at 

 leisure. It was in this locality that I first saw a nest of the " Swamp-Hawk," from which the 

 eggs were taken about a week before by the boys who showed it to me. Later on I met with 

 this species in the mangrove flats of Western Port Pay, wiiere I secured its eggs. 



