PANDION. 293 



mark-, while others were on inaccessible dills. (_)ne remarkable nest, found on the cliffs of a 

 small island, was over hve feet in height, and had apparently been used for many years. With 

 a single exception the nests were substantially built, in one case a few sticks only were used on 

 a rock just above high water mark. The number of eggs to the clutch was always two or three ; 

 they present a great variety in shape and colour, but to see the colour at its best the eggs must 

 be quite fresh ; they rapidly lose tlieir bright shades when sat upon. In two instances second 

 clutches were taken, the birds occupying two months in rebuilding. On one occasion a nest 

 was observed which contained one young bird and tw'o fresh eggs, the nestling being covered 

 with ants, which apparently caused it no inconvenience. In several instances the bird was seen 

 sitting for several days before an egg was laid. (Jspreys' nests vary a lot in size, some being as 

 high as five feet, others (on the rocks only) are barely six inches, just a few sticks round the 

 bare rock ; tliose in trees are much alike, and usually well constructed ; tlie lining generally 

 consists of a few I'andanus or other leaves, or washed up seaweed. The prettiest nest I have 

 seen was lined with moss and leaves of the Bloodwood tree. On the main land a dead tree is 

 preferred, except in the mangroves, where it is usually a dead-topped tree. In all Mr. Nielson 

 observed twenty-eight nests, each containing two or three eggs, and about fifteen with young birds. 

 While a nest is being robbed, the female bird frei]uently Hies round uttering a sort of whistling 

 cry. Upon one occasion only was a bird seen to plunge out of sight in water and reappear with 

 a fish in its claws. Tlie eggs gi\e out a disiigreeable hshy odour. The first nest found with 

 eggs was on 6th May, the last 2Sth July.'' 



Mr. G. A. Keartlanii, of Melbourne, \'ictoria, has sent me the following note : — " Near 

 Carnarvon, Western Australia, many Ospreys {Pandioii IcHcoccphiilm) may be seen on the coast 

 searching for dead fish or other ofifal cast up by the sea. Although their nests are usually built 

 on rocks and trees in the vicinity of water, Mr. Tom Carter found one on a boulder in the open 

 plain, about three feet from the ground, in which there were four eggs. This was remarkable 

 considering that a high range existed about a mile away." 



From Blackwood, South Australia, Mr. Edwin Ashby sends me the following note: — 

 I have a specimen of Paiidion laicocephalus shot about three miles from my house, in the gorge 

 of the Sturt, five or six miles from the coast, the only water being a small rivulet. The 

 bird had a well filled crop of English Perch. I was informed that it had frequented the 

 locality for several weeks. I took two eggs in conjunction with a friend from a rocky islet, 

 separated from land by water, except at low tide, near Middle lvi\er, Kangaroo Island, in 

 October, 1905. The nest was a cart load of sticks." 



Mr. Tom Carter writes me as follows: — "The White-headed Osprey (Paiidiou Iciiioccplialus) 

 was fairly plentiful about North-west Cape and Point Cloates, North-western Australia. Their 

 bulky nests were built sometimes on the edges of great cliffs, in the large Red Mangrove trees, 

 and occasionally on the bare surface of the salt marshes. I have also seen nests built on 

 boulders or dead logs, on the beach, just above high water mark. Eggs have been noted from 

 25th June to 3rd September about Point Cloates. Two or three is the usual clutch, but I once 

 found four eggs in a nest. A nest built in the top of a dead Mangrove, near the North-west 

 Cape, became of such immense size after many years of adding to it, that eventually the tree 

 was blown down. Another nest, built on a large log on the lieach, was a little more than five 

 feet in depth, i.e., height of the structure, by standing on tip toe on the log, I could just look 

 o\er the edge of the nest. The old birds usually circle round above the heads of any intruders 

 at their nests, but never offer to attack. A pair built their nest on the top of a crane on the end 

 of iNIaud's Landing Jetty, about thirty miles south of Point Cloates, the jetty being little used, 

 except for a few weeks in the wool season. These birds occur sparingly near Albany, Denmark, 

 and Cape Mentelle, in South-western Australia." 



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