Vol. IX. 

 1909 



J Stray PeaiherS: ^g 



The Return of the Bh^ids.— The following table will show 

 the dates of some birds' return to this district in 1907, with their 

 relative arrivals of 1908 ; — 



1 907 . 1 908 . 



Pallid Cuckoo (Ciiculus pallidiis) . . . . Sept. 4 . . Aug. 7 



Rufous-breasted Thickhead {Pachycephala 



rufiventris) .. .. .. .. Sept. 12 .. Sept. 3 



White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater {Lalage 



ivicolor) .. .. .. .. Aug. 18 .. Sept. 27 



HuionsSong-'La.x'kiCinclorhamphHS rvtfescens) Sept. 8 .. Sept. 25 

 White-browed Wood-Swallow (Arfamus 



superciliosiis) .. .. .. Oct. 11 .. Oct. 13 



Masked Wood-Swallow (Ai'tamus pei'soiiatus) Oct. 24 . . Oct. 13 

 — A. H. Chisholm. Maryborough (Vic.), 17/10/08. 



Flame-breasted Robin. — I have just read the very 



interesting monograph on the Flame-breasted Robin {Petrceca 



pJiceniced) in TJie Emu (viii., p. 122) by Mr. A. G. Campbell. It 



may be of interest to the writer to know that I saw numbers of 



Flame-breasted Robins in the spring of 1882 on spurs of Mount 



Useful, Gippsland, and two pairs were nest-building in crevices 



of stringybark trees, about 12 to 15 feet from the ground. The 



mountain spur was about 4,000 feet above sea level. I also saw 



at same place and time a pair of Hooded Robins building. 



Though I was in Cape Otway district from 1849 to 1868, I 



never saw nests of Flame-breasted Robins, but I have no doubt 



that they nested in the forest ranges. — H. W. FORD. Fitzroy 



(Vic), 21/3/09. 



* * * 



Falcon and Bat.— Some little time ago the noise of the 

 dray I was driving startled a common bat from his hiding-place 

 in the hollow spout of a tree. A Little Falcon {Falco lunulatus), 

 perched on the top of a high tree, instantly noticed the bat, and 

 dashed down to secure (as he thought) an easy prey. But as he 

 swooped the bat ducked, and, apparently diving between the 

 Falcon's legs, fluttered away. The Falcon turned like a flash 

 and quickly overtook the little fugitive, with the same result. 

 Time and again did the Falcon swoop, his claws outspread to grip, 

 and time after time did the bat, by his fluttering, dodgy flight, 

 evade his pursuer. At length, the bat, seeing a hollow spout near, 

 dashed into it, and next second the Falcon settled, but — too late. 

 — Ernest D. Barnard. Gladstone (Q.), 1 1/5/09. 



Owls Retaining their Prey. — I have another note to 

 add to my previous one {Emu, vii., p. 187) re Owls retaining 

 their night catch during the day. A few weeks ago, sitting by 

 the side of a spring in the range, eating my lunch, I got to 



