SOME USEFUL AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 77 



of a gum-tree. I once had such a nest under observation on the Murray 

 swamps from the time the eggs were laid until I carried off the almost 

 fledged nestlings. The tree was low, and the projecting branch broad where 

 the end had broken off, so that the end was like a stove-pipe with plenty of 

 decayed wood on the floor, and among this the eggs were laid. It was 

 possible to lie along this limb and to look into the hollow, and even to handle 

 the bright-eyed savage little Kestrels, who would strike out with their talons 

 when very small. As the nesting place was on the daily route, many 

 visits were paid during the upbringing of the family, and nearly always the 

 floor of the nest contained portions of grass snakes, slow-worms, or lizards ; 

 once or twice the feathers of a nestling Magpie-lark suggested that the food 

 supplies had not run short. In captivity the nestlings ate meat quite 

 naturally, and when placed in an aviary, where in the adjoining compart- 

 ment were some doves, one of them tried to seize the doves' wings when they 

 came too close to the partition. 



At the present time the Nankeen Kestrel is appearing again on the open 

 timbered plains, and in the New England district during a day's ride one may 

 often notice half a dozen or more of these graceful birds flying round or 

 resting upon a dead branch, the white, grey, brown, black, and cinnamon 

 tints being harmoniously blended into the nankeen tints that give this little 

 hawk its popular and appropriate name. As this bird, unlike many of our 

 birds of prey, always kills it own food, and does not touch carrion, it has not 

 suffered from the deadly poison cart and dingo baits. 



As evidence of its value as an insectivorous bird it may be mentioned that 

 Lucas and Le Soeuf, in "Birds- of Australia," state that the food consists of 

 lizards and insects, while Campbell states that " the Nankeen Kestrel is almost 

 insectivorous in diet, and has another prominent virtue in that it kills small 

 snakes." 



The Wedge-tailed Eagle ( Urocetus audax Latham). 



Gould's Handbook, vol. I, p. 8, No. 1 ; Leach's Bird Book, p. 81, No. 158. 



This is one of the largest eagles in the world, measuring from 7 to 8 feet 

 from tip to tip of the outspread wings. It is therefore much to be regretted 

 that the popular name of Eagle-hawk should have been given to it by our 

 early settlers. The Wedge-tailed Eagle has a wide range over Tasmania and 

 Australia, is a keen hunter, and, under natural conditions, captures and kills 

 wallabies and other marsupials, flying often at a great height and then 

 swooping down upon its prey. These birds have regular beats, as can be 

 seen from the size of their nests, which are usually built in the fork of a tall 

 gum-tree, and are added to every year they often contain a dray-load of 

 stout sticks. The hollo wed-out centre contains a pair of dark mottled eggs, 

 or a pair of bright-eyed, fierce-taloned babies. 



The Wedge-tailed Eagle is frequently charged with killing lambs, and not 

 without cause at times ; but only certain starved eagles driven from their 

 hunting ground aie such culprits. The natural food of this eagle is ground 



