40 Stray Feathers. [..th'juiy 



swamp, and the mud nests of the Magpie-Lark {^GralUna picatci) 

 were seen everywhere. The fine Goshawk {Astur approximans) 

 had eggs in a nest in the top of a high pine. We were not 

 in camp that night till after dark, and then had to prepare our 

 evening meal and see to our bunks, after which I blew some 

 eggs collected during the day for museum purposes. 



Early next morning we made a move down the river, but before 

 starting .saw some Black-and-White Swallows {CJieravioeca leuco- 

 sternuni), which were tunnelling into a sand-bank. One nest we 

 excavated was composed of dry grass, roots, and leaves, and 

 contained four eggs. As we proceeded, the little Grass-Warblers 

 {Cisticola exilis) were found nesting in the high grass and dock 

 on the edge of the swamp. Their nests, being most beautiful 

 and delicately constructed, are perfect works of art. The dock- 

 leaves are marvellously sewn round on both sides, and looking in 

 through the small aperture one sees the three pretty green-mottled 

 eggs. Not far from here the Little Grass-Birds {Megalurus 

 gravimeus) were nesting in the cutting-grass ; their nests were 

 covered in on the top with Bald-Coots' {Porphyrio melanonotus) 

 feathers, completely hiding the red-speckled eggs. Reed- 

 Warblers {Acrocephalus anstralis) were nesting freely amongst 

 the reeds on the river bank, and, strange to say, I observed 

 one nest lined with feathers — a feature which has never come 

 under my notice before. Whistling Eagles {Halzasttir sphenurus) 

 were brooding in the tops of high gums, hundreds of feet from 

 the ground or water, as the case may be, and after a hard climb 

 I procured a fine clutch of two eggs. Bald-Coots had their 

 nests in the flags, and I observed one clutch of ten eggs. Musk- 

 Ducks [Biziura lobatd) were numerous, and I noted a clutch of 

 six eggs — the largest I have known. These shy birds build a 

 beautiful dome-shaped nest of plaited reeds and flags, lined 

 inside with down plucked from the Ducks' own bodies. Back 

 from the swamps a stick was thrown at a likely hollow limb, 

 and out flew a Boobook Owl {Ninox boobook). Climbing up, I 

 saw a clutch of eggs lying on the decayed wood, and, strange 

 to say, one egg was prominently marked — even more so than the 

 one in Mr. Le Souef's collection. After entering the scrub, a 

 Hooded Robin's {Petr<rca bicolor) nest was discovered, and in a 

 bunch of cutting-grass the nest of the White-fronted Bush-Chat 

 {Ephtliiajiura albifrons), containing three speckled eggs, was 

 discovered. On our way back to camp that night, an aquatic 

 bird left a clump of rushes very hastily, and dived off. On 

 hunting the rushes, a nest was found which resembled a Musk- 

 Duck's in every way with the exception of its being but half the 

 size, and inside six eggs lay in a bed of down, the same shape 

 and colour as those of the Musk-Duck but only half their size. 

 Here was a mystery, so the eggs were left, in order that the bird 

 might be seen for identification. Next morning a visit was 



