Vol. IX. 

 igio 



Stray Feathers. 



169 



feet below us. was the nest, its contents hidden by the graceful 

 form of our most beautiful of Victorian Honey-eaters. Although 

 we stood so close to the nest the bird showed not the slightest 

 fear, so that I had to tap gently at the side of it to get her to 

 leave. When she did so, and revealed the contents of the nest, 

 my joy knew no bounds, for there were three eggs, and one of 

 them no less than that of the Pallid Cuckoo. The Cuckoo was 

 a new record, and, although a long way from home, it was with 

 cheerful hearts that we retraced our weary footsteps. 



Measurements of clutch are : — Honey-eater's — (a) 0.93 x 0.68, 

 ((^)o.9i X 0.68. Cuckoo's — 0.95 X 0.68. — F. E. Wilson. Mel- 

 bourne, 22/10/09. 



* * * 



Bird Day. — Apropos of the lists which the Education Depart- 

 ment is encouraging of birds seen about the State schools, the 

 following may be cited as an interesting example of the way in 

 which one may read into a list of common birds all the condi- 

 tions obtaining in or throwing influence upon a certain district. 

 This list comprises all species of birds seen at Pomonal, near 

 the Grampians, Vic, on the first Bird Day, 29th October, 1909 : — 



Wedge-tailed Eagle 



Kestrel 



Raven 



Grey Crow-Shrike 



Grey Thrush 



Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike 



Brown Flycatcher 



Scarlet-breasted Robin 



Yellow-breasted Robin 



Blue Wren 



White-shafted Fantail 



Shining Flycatcher 



Ground Thrush 



Little F'ield-Wren 



Striated Tit 



Brown Tit 



Tomtit 



Bufif-rumped Tit 



Scrub-Wren 



Ground- Lark 



White-backed Magpie 



Chat 



White-throated Thickhead 



White-throated Tree-creeper 



White-eye 



Spinebill 



White-naped Honey-eater 



Tawny-crowned Honey-eater 



New Holland Honey-eater 



Fuscous Honey-eater 



Yellow-faced Honey-eater 



Wattle-Bird 



Striated Pardalote 



Spotted Pardalote 



Swallow 



Wood-Swallow 



Red-browed Finch 



Jackass 



Fan-tailed Cuckoo 



Bronze Cuckoo 



Musk-Lorikeet 



Crimson Parrakeet 



Rosella 



Black Cockatoo 



Bronze-wing 



The presence of the Magpie, Jackass, and Ground-Lark 

 indicate that the country is being opened up, these birds increas- 

 ing with settlement ; yet the Black Cockatoo and Crimson 

 Parrakeet point to the immediate vicinity of mountain ranges, 

 wild and secluded, which they (the Black Cockatoo especially) 

 require for nesting. The Grey Crow-Shrike, White-throated 

 Tree-creeper, Scarlet-breasted Robin, and White-naped Honey- 

 eater belong to quiet forests, while the Ground-Thrush, Yellow- 



