FALCO. 271 



and capture both the Falcon and its prey. With this object I secreted myself in some thick- 

 bushes close to the foot of the tree in which the Kites sat. I had not long to wait, for soon 

 Falcon and Kite came struggling down within a few feet of where I was concealed, and I sprang 

 out and caught one of the previously outstretched wings of the Falcon. So tierce was its clutch 

 that I had difficulty in releasing the Kite, which, though severely wounded, had sufficient 

 strength to make off. 1 cut the Falcon's wings and kept it in confinement for some time, but it 

 was so fierce and intractable that I got disgusted and ended its career. I fancy these cases of 

 one bird of prey attacl^ing another with the intention of feasting on it are very rare; in all my 

 wanderings I never saw but one other instance of the kind, and in that case the aggressor was 

 a Black-cheeked Falcon (Falco mclanogcnys), and the bird attacked a Delicate Owl (Stvix dclicatula); 

 the latter, however, after a short tussle, managed to free itself. .\ friend of mine, who is a 

 keen observer, told me that he was driving a small lot of sheep, and a Black Falcon had made 

 several ineffectual efforts to capture a ' Ground Lark ' (Anthus austraUs), and whilst in pursuit 

 of it some distance ahead of the sheep, they disturbed a Black Duck [Anas sitperciliosa) from her 

 nest under a Cotton-bush, and she flew off in the direction the Falcon had gone; the latter 

 caught sight of her, and leaving the 'Lark ' turned and made for the Duck, and so great was the 

 concussion when they met that they fell to the ground, and my friend on riding up found both 

 dead. A large fiat-win.ned dipterous parasite infests the Black Falcon ; it moves about sideways 

 under the feathers with extraordinary rapidity. 



"The Black Falcon sometimes breeds here, but not often, for during my long residence 

 (over twenty years) in this locality, 1 have only met with their nests on four occasions (one only 

 a few days since). The nest I recently found was clearly a case of appropriation, as last year 

 (1S83) it was occupied by a pair of Gypoictinia indanoftcrnon\ the Falcons had possession, and 

 the nest contained four eggs. Immediately beneath the edge of the nest a pair of Xcrophila 

 Icucopsis had constructed their nest, which contained young, and the old birds were flymg in and 

 out apparently quite unconcerned at the proximity of their dangerous neighbours, well knowing 

 that the interstices between the large sticks of which the upper nest was composed afforded 

 them a secure asylum." 



The following notes were made later by Mr. Bennett, when living at Vandembah Station, 

 in the Lachlan District, New South Wales :-— " On the 3rd June, 1SS9, while out on the run, 

 my dog killed a rabbit, and on returning past the spot I was surprised to see a Black Falcon 

 (Falco subniger) feeding on the carcass. This is most unusual, for hitherto I have never known 

 this bird, or in fact any of the true Falcons, to feed upon anything they had not killed. It is 

 the first e.xample I have seen of the Black Falcon for two years. On the 31st December, i8Sy, 

 whilst driving a lot of sheep, a pair of Black Falcons accompanied me for a considerable 

 distance, attracted by the grasshoppers disturbed by the sheep. These insects they dexterously 

 caught, and devoured while on the wing, as did also a Milviis affinis, which was attracted by 

 them. The absence of Ouail and other small birds is doubtless the cause of these species 

 preying on insects.'' 



From I'.roken IIill, in South-western New South Wales, Dr. W. Macgillivray writes:— 

 " Falco sHhnii:cv is a rare bird here, only one pair having been seen ; these we disturbed from 

 their roosting place in a Gum on Yalcowinna Creek, on the morning of 12th September, 1909, 

 when they seemed to glide away through the trees. On the wing the Black Falcon is a 

 magnificent looking bird, its dark plumage, with white markings about the face, and quick 

 gliding flight, easily distinguishing it from all other birds. On our return journey this creek 

 was revisited on the Sth October, and keeping a look out for these birds we flushed the female 

 from an old Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest, placed in a Gum growing in the bed of the creek. The 

 nest was only twenty feet from the ground, and contained only one egg of the Falcon, which we 

 decided to leave in hopes of getting a full clutch, after giving it a good shaking up to stop the 



