154 D'Ombrain, Bird Notes from Neiv Sottth Wales. fisflan 



unwary, and those who are not good bushmen, to find themselves 

 " bushed " — at least for the time being. 



This introduction is necessary in order to explain the reason of 

 any Lyre-Birds, or, indeed, any large birds, being found so near 

 the city. 



Notes Made in the Vicinity of Gordon. 

 Lyre-Birds Close to Sydney. 



28/11/1914. — ^Went down Stony Creek towards Middle Harbour, 

 and saw Lyre-Birds there for the first time, though we had often 

 seen scratchings. The male ran away, but the female was so 

 tame that she remained on a fallen tree, which was lying across 

 the gully, which is here very narrow, and allowed us to get right 

 under her and have a good look at her. 



20/12/1914. — Up very early in the morning, and went down 

 the creek again. Heard the Lyre-Bird mimicking other birds, 

 amongst which we identified : — Butcher-Bird {Cracticits destructor), 

 Mountain Magpie {Strepera graculina), Grey Shrike-Thrush 

 {CoUuricincla harmonica), Dollar-Bird {Eiirystomiis pacificus), 

 Coachwhip-Bird {Psophodes crepitans), Yellow-faced Honey-eater 

 {Ptilotis chrysops), White-eared Honey-eater {Ptilotis leucotis). 

 Yellow-eared Honey-eater [Ptilotis chrysotis), and Yellow-breasted 

 Shrike-Robin [Eopsaltria anstralis). 



15/5/1915.- — Found nest of Lyre-Bird just near where they 

 were seen the previous season. It was built in an overhanging 

 ledge of rock, near the creek. When first found it was only a mass 

 of sticks ; four or five days later it had only to be lined ; then about 

 two weeks later one egg was found in the nest. The egg was 

 purple, with black blotches. The nest was lined with feathery 

 down from the birds. 



In January, 1915, saw a Drongo Shrike [Dicriiropsis bracteata) 

 at Gordon. This is rather an unusual locality for it. It was 

 seen afterwards near Gordon feeding a j^oung one which had 

 evidently been reared here. 



Record Clutch. — Pymble, 14/11/16. — Found a nest of the 

 Warty-faced Honey-eater [Meliphaga phrygia) ; it contained four 

 eggs. The clutch is stated by most authorities as two, rarely 

 three. This clutch, therefore, is a record one. The nest was 

 built about 50 feet from the ground. 



21/4/17. — A female Red-capped Robin {Petroica goodenovii) 

 was obtained at Lindfield, five miles from Sydney. This seems 

 an unusual locality for this Robin. 



Grallina's Peculiar Nest. — Nest of G. picata found by G. 

 Anderson, R.A.O.U., was composed of a pile of seven nests (six 

 old ones underneath). The mass weighed 3I lbs. The nest on 

 top contained five eggs. 



Pardalotus punctatus in this locality frequently lays clutch of 

 five eggs. A nest on one occasion was found in a hollow stump by 

 G. Anderson, R.A.O.U. 



Having noticed that the White-bellied Sea-Eagles {Haliceetiis 



