30 Stray Feathers. l^^,^ 



thinking of a pair of Owls that formerly used to inhabit a thick 

 fig-tree on the opposite side of the gully, and, looking across, I 

 noticed the tail of an opossum sticking out from a leaning 

 branch. Raising my eyes a little I saw the barred breast of a 

 Powerful Owl (^Ninox strenua). On walking nearer the Owl 

 flew away, and dropped what remained of the 'possum, the 

 hind legs and tail, which part was quite cold and stiff, evidently 

 having been killed the night before. I may mention that it was 

 only a young 'possum, about half-grown. The other Owl was 

 in the fig-tree, and allowed me to walk up to within a few yards, 

 and returned my stare with interest. A i^^N years ago I shot a 

 full-grown young one at the same place, showing that they must 

 have nested about August. — Chas. A. Barnard. Coomooboo- 



laroo (Q.), 3/6/09. 



* * * 



VVOOD-SWALLOWS CLUSTERING. — My friend, Mr. J. G. 

 Tepper, F.L.S., member of the Royal Society of South 

 Australia, has sent me the following observation made by him 

 in the bush forty years ago : — " While public teacher at 

 Monarto, Murray Valley, I went sometimes into the Mallee 

 bush, then in its dense original state, to get a wallaby for the 

 larder. Returning in the evening I had twice the pleasure — a 

 rare one — of witnessing at close quarters the arrival of the Wood- 

 Swallows {Artainus tenebrosus) at their roosting-place. Gliding 

 noiselessly through the open timber — peppermint gums {Eucalyp- 

 tus odoratd)— a flock of about fifty or more arrived in straight, low 

 flight at a rather thick overhanging branch some 10 or 12 feet 

 from the ground, and in less than one minute were settled in a 

 single cluster, looking only like a natural swelling of the branch, 

 and apparently motionless. Viewed against a bright star just 

 on the margin of the group, the slightest heaving only could be 

 detected, but no sound was audible. It was to me entirely new, 

 and almost incredible. Many times I watched that tree when 

 time permitted, but only on one other occasion, weeks later, had 

 my observation confirmed." — H. Stuart Dove. W. Devonport 



(Tas.), 15/5/09- 



* * * 



An Abnormal Robin. — After the Easter holidays, Mr. Reg. 

 Slater, of Launceston, brought me a bird shot at Lake Leake. 

 Unfortunately, the bird was somewhat knocked about, and a 

 good skin was impossible. Before critically examining the 

 specimen to endeavour to determine the species, I forwarded it 

 to Mr. Robert Hall, C.M.Z.S., for his examination. In a letter 

 accompanying the skin he replied : — " The specimen of bird you 

 sent me for identification puzzles me as well as you. It looks 

 like a fine female specimen of Petrccca plimiicea. You will 

 need to compare the primaries, secondaries, rectrices, and bill 



