18 SOME BIRDS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS 



actually fishing at a distance from the shore. It seizes 

 fish which become stranded in shallow pools, and destroys 

 large numbers of crustaceans and shell-fish. The shells of 

 the latter it smashes against boulders and rocks, and it 

 will also consume any dead fish or other animals thrown 

 up by the waves, even if they are in a putrid state. It is 

 a quarrelsome bird, and will drive away gulls or other 

 birds of prey that chance to come near it, and all these 

 seem to fear it. I have also seen it devour young sea- 

 birds, which it procured from nests in the coast cliffs. 

 Altogether, it may be termed the tyrant of the Australian 

 bird-world. So far as I know, this bird is confined to the 

 eastern coast of Australia, on which it ranges from Cape 

 York to the southernmost points of Victoria. It is also 

 found in Tasmania and on many of the smaller islands, 

 the latter probably being only occasionally visited. 



The wedge-tailed eagle, on the other hand, is spread 

 over the whole continent, and is likewise found in Tasmania ; 

 and though, as I have already said, it is nowhere an 

 abundant bird, it is perhaps more numerous in south- 

 western Australia than in any other part of the country. 



