v°'-Jg^-] stray Feathers. 93 



specimen of the Crested Penguin {CatarrJiactes clirysoconie), 

 which was picked up by Mr. Miller, of the Rottnest Signal 

 Station. Mr. Otto Lippert, the taxidermist of the Western Aus- 

 tralian Museum, happened to be collecting on the island, and he 

 at once prepared the skin. This species of Penguin was first 

 recorded for Western Australia by Mr. A. J. Campbell, in 1889, 

 who secured one close to Hamelin Harbour, near Cape Leeuwin. 

 The bird had never previously been seen on Rottnest Island. — 

 C. P. CONIGRAVE. Perth (W.A.), 2/8/09. 



Wood-Swallows as Honey-eaters. — In one of the recent 

 issues of TJie Emu a correspondent refers to Wood- Swallows 

 acting as honey-eaters. I can support his observations as fol- 

 lows : — During the month of August, about four years ago, I 

 was camped a few miles out from Laverton (W.A.) About 8 

 o'clock one morning a flock of fully 200 Black-faced Wood- 

 Swallows {Artanms melanops) came round the camp. They 

 stopped for about an hour and then disappeared again, going 

 north. During the whole of the time they stayed with us they 

 were very busy feeding on the honey (presumably) from the 

 flowers of a pretty red-flowering mulga (acacia .'') * which was 

 growing round the camp. — Chas. G. GiBSON. Perth (W.A.) 



Foxes v. Birds. — In a letter received by me from Mr. Geo. 

 Graham, A.O.U., of Scott's Creek, near Cobden (Vic), he states 

 that during the spring and summer of 1908-9 Pipits {AntJms 

 aiistralis) were, owing to the severe repression of foxes, enabled 

 to bring up their broods in safety, and these birds were in 

 greater numbers than in previous years. He was frequently 

 cheered with the sight of young Pipits — a thing he had not seen 

 since the advent of the fox. Mr. Graham observes that the fox, 

 besides preying largely on both young and adult Magpies 

 {Gymnorkina leuconota), is also the cause of the destruction of 

 many of those birds at the hands of trappers, who find the 

 Magpie a very effective bait, and one easily obtained. — W. J. 

 Stephen. Robinson's-road, Hawthorn (Vic), 3/8/09. 



* * * 



Warty-faced Honey-eaters and Friar-Birds. — During 

 the late winter Warty-faced Honey-eaters {Meliphaga phrygid) 

 have been unusually plentiful in this locality ; ever since March 

 last they have been with us in thousands. While riding through 

 the bush one hears their peculiar notes all day long. I have 

 never previously known the white box {Eucalyptus heiiiipJdoia) 

 to flower so freely ; this probably accounts for the presence of 



■' Acacias usually have yellowish tlowers. — Eds. 



