IIALIASTIU. 233 



from the river, to another nest about fifty feet from the -lound, containing,' a nearly Hedged youn,L,' 

 one, which he lowered to the ground with a rishing hue, and I photographed it, the old birds 

 circling high in the air in the meantime, but not venturing near the nest. Mr. Austin on the 

 13th October chopped steps for some distance in the trunk of a Red Gum, and after climbing 

 some distance further, scooped one egg tro.n another nest of the Whistling Eagle, about forty- 

 five feet from the ground, and afterwards climbed right to the nest and found tlie other egg 

 among the sticks, and away from the Gum leaves with which tlie centre of the structure was 

 lined. Only one bird was seen which sat for some time on a neighbouring tree during our 

 stay at the Red Gum ; the eggs were about half incubated. 



Of the Whistling Eagles' nests examined by Mr. Austin on the iXth Octol)er, one he climbed 

 to in a lateral forked branch of a Yellow Box about seventy-five feet from the ground, contained a 

 recently hatched young one and a chipped egg, also portion of a freshly killed rabbit. Both 

 birds were seen at this nest circling around, and uttering notes of distress resembling those of 

 the Silver Gull (Lams iMiw-linllaiidiie), and one bird, apparently the female, perched open-mouthed 

 a few feet away from the nest. During flight the dark (juills show out in contrast to the light 

 under parts of the body, tail and under wing-coverts ; it is a clear sailing movement, with seldom 

 any apparent motion of the wings. Two fresh Whistling Eagles eggs were taken from a Raven's 

 nest in a tree the same afternoon, and from which previously that season Mr. Austin had taken 

 three sets of Raven's eggs. Underneath the nest he also obtained a nest of the Spotted- 

 sided Finch containing four fresh eggs. This pair of Whistling Eagles acted in a similar manner 

 to the previous ones, emitting gull-like screams in addition to the whistling notes. We saw no 

 remains excepting an occasional rabbit-skin beneath the nests of the Whistling Eagles examined, 

 nor did we see them attempt to capture any prey. Nothing was found on the ground beneath 

 the nests of this species beyond fragments of rabbit skins, nor was there anything to indicate, in 

 the way of fallen sticks, that there was a nest above in the tree. These birds allow of a close 

 approach, seldom taking flight until one is beneath the tree, or at least within easy range. 



Mr. George Savidge writes me from Copmanhurst, New South Wales:— "The Whistling 

 Eagle {Haliastni- sphcnunis) is plentiful in most parts of the Clarence River District, becoming 

 scarcer as the swamp lands are left, and the forest and scrub lands of the Upper Clarence are 

 reached. I have found its nest, and taken its eggs, upon several occasions, two eggs being the 

 number always found by me for a sitting. It preys upon larger birds, poultry included, and 

 small mammals; about the swampy lands Coots and Redbills, .Vc, are its principal food." 



During my stay in the Clarence River District, on the (>th November, i8yS, in company 

 with Mr. Savidge and his son, I watched an Aboriginal climb to a nest of this species built in a 

 lofty Grey Gum overhanging the Clarence River, and near the junction of the Orara River. 

 The nest was at an altitude of one hundred and twenty feet, and was reached by means of a 

 rope ladder and a tomahawk. A stiff gale was blowing at the time, and the Aboriginal laid 

 along the limb for a considerable time before he ventured out to the nest, an hour and a half 

 elapsing from the time he ascended the tree until he had secured the eggs and reached the 

 ground again. The nest, which contained two fresh eggs, was a large open structure outwardly 

 formed of sticks and lined with Eucalyptus leaves. The pair of birds kept soaring around in 

 sight during the greater part of the time we were at the tree. 



The late Mr. K. H. Bennett wrote from the Mossgiel District, New South Wales:— 

 " Hahastitv sphenitrns, though by no means common, is very widely distributed, being met with 

 on the open plains as well as in the timbered country. Its prey consists of small mammals, the 

 young of various birds and reptiles; it is very destructive to rabbits. In \'ictoria this species 

 used to utter a peculiar shrill whistle ; here it is quite silent. The nest is a rather large structure 

 composed of sticks, lined with a few green Eucalyptus leaves, and is generally placed in some 

 forked horizontal branch at a considerable height from the ground. It breeds in this locality 



