AsruK. 



185 



This bird is essentially an inhabitant of the coastal districts, the conti-unus scrubs and 

 heavily timbered mountain ranges, but is sometimes found in open forest lands. Stomachs of 



specimens examined 

 contained the remains 

 of small birds and mam- 

 mals, also lizards and 

 various kinds of insects. 



Mr. George Sa\id.i,'e, 

 a keen observer and 

 resident of the Upper 

 Clarence District, Nor th- 

 eastern New South 

 \\ ales, and who has 

 paid particular attention 

 to the nidification of the 

 Accipitres in that part 

 of the State, has kindly 

 favoured me with the 

 following notes:~-'"Astnr 

 ciiicvcus is fairly plenti- 

 fully dispersed in the 

 thick scrub lands in the 

 l^pper Clarence River 

 District, and its call is 

 very much like that of 

 tile 'King Parrot.' The 

 nest is a large structure 

 for the size of the bird, 

 it being added to year 

 after year if not molested. 

 I have seen a nest as 

 lar.ije as a new one of 

 the Wedge-tailed Eagle. 

 It IS often placed on 

 the large outstanding 

 branches of the fig trees, 

 and the slippery-barked 

 box is also another 

 favourite tree; one nest 

 found in a Bean-tree 

 contained young birds. 

 I have taken eggs on 

 several occasions, and 

 liave never found more 

 than two in a nest ; on 

 one or two occasions 

 I have found only one 

 ,,.,,.. egg for a sitting. The 



eggs are bluish, devoid of all markings whatever, but after a time they get nest stained, and then 

 assume a du'ty brownish colour. The young birds examined were like their parents, white 



47 



SSrrfH:^ 





X 



V! 





SCOOPING THE EGGS FROM A GREY-BACKED GCSHAWKs NKST. 



