232 



Ai/LII.IS.'E. 



of the nest would be about twenty-four inches across the tr-p, deptli about lifteen inches, and e'^ig 

 cavity about three indies. This was an avera.t^e sized one for this district." 



While on a visit to Cobborah Station in (October, 1909, Mr. Austin kindly pointed out many 

 Whistling Eagles' nests to me. At that time the birds were all paired up and breeding, and 

 were not seen in the large flocks referred to by him. Most of the nests were found about 

 or near the banks of the Talbraijar River, although some were seen in the open paddocks and 



on river flats, and a 

 few on the higher 

 land (]uite remote 

 from water. Some 

 nests were in the 

 same tree or in trees 

 near to one another ; 

 others were wide 

 apart, and an exami- 

 nationof all wasmade 

 by driving in a sullcy 

 to different parts of 

 the estate, a rope 

 ladder, tomahawk, 

 store boxes and 

 camera completing 

 our outlit. In the 

 examination of all 

 nests that required 

 climbing to, Mr. 

 Austin relied almost 

 entirely on the toma- 

 hawk, using the rope- 

 laddf-r chiefly on dead 

 trees, which would 

 save a lot of labour, 

 instead of ha\ ing to 

 cut a number of steps 

 in the hard wood. 

 Many nests were 

 seen, andse\'eral were 

 examined during my 

 stay, my hostinform- 

 int,' me that one third 

 of tiie Whistling 

 Eagles did not con- 

 struct nesls them- 

 selves, but used the deserted tenements of the Ravens ( Cpi'ouc australis). On the nth October 

 he climbed to the vicinity of a nest in the lateral upright branch of a lied Gum tree on the banks 

 of the Talbragar River, and about seventy-five feet from the ground, from which he successfully 

 scooped two half incubated eggs ; a pair of Spotted-sided Finches ( Stagoiioplcum i^uttata) were 

 engaged in constructing their grass-formed nest among the sticks beneath the nest of the Whistling 

 Eagle, while he was taking the eggs. 'I"he sitting bird flew off the nest on our approach, and did 

 not return while we were at the tree. On the following day Mr. Austin climbed a tree well a^vay 



NK.ST OF UniSTLINC EAC^LE. 



