q6 Tulloch, Macquarie Island Penguins-. [2nd'oict. 



little effect on the Royals, and as long as it is restricted to that 

 species not much harm will result, or, at least, there is very little 

 Hkelihood of the species becoming extinct. As regards the King 

 and the Rock-hopper, I think both should be protected, especially 

 the King, which is a magniiicent bird ; and the whole species 

 could easily be killed right out in one season should the sealers 

 decide to operate on them. 



Cuckoo Notes from Tasmania. 



By H. Stuart Dove, F.Z.S., R.A.O.U. 



My friends, Messrs. Thompson and Claridge, of Launceston, have 

 kindly sent along a few jottings concerning the hosts of Cuckoos, 

 which I have written up, thinking they may be interesting for 

 comparison with mainland hosts. 



The egg of the Pallid Cuckoo [Cuculus pallidus) has been found 

 in the nests of the Shrike-Thrush {Colluricincla selbii), the Dusky 

 Robin {Amattrodryas vittata), the Grey-tailed Thickhead [Pachy- 

 cephala glaucura), the White-bearded Honey-eater {Meliornis 

 novcB-hollandicB), the Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus dubius), the 

 Black-headed Honey-eater {MelUhreptus melanocephahis), the 

 Yellow-throated Honey-eater {Ptilotis flavigula), and the White- 

 eye {Zosteyops dorsalis). It will be noticed that these are all open 

 nests. 



The egg of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacomaniis flabelliformis) 

 was deposited most frequently in the domed nest of the Brown- 

 tail {Acanthiza diemenensis), also found in that of the Brown Scrub- 

 Wren {Sericornis humilis), Ewing's Tit [Acanthiza ewingi), and 

 the Grass-Bird {Megalurus gramineus). These are all covered 

 nests, that of the last-named being usually semi-arched. 



The Bronze-Cuckoo [Chalcococcyx plagosus) favours the two 

 Tits which are found in our scrubs — viz., the Yellowtail (Acanthiza 

 chrysorrhoa) and the Browntail {Acanthiza diemenensis). 



Mr. Thompson has found the egg of the Narrow-billed Bronze - 

 Cuckoo {Chalcococcyx basalis) on only one occasion, which was 

 in the nest of the Blue Wren {Malurus longicaudus) ; but a clutch 

 from Clarke Island, Bass Strait, was given to him of the Brown 

 Scrub-Wren {Sericornis humilis), with an egg of the Narrow- 

 billed species. It will be noticed that both the Bronze -Cuckoos, 

 like the Fan-tailed, favour the domed nests. Mr. Green, of Kelso, 

 found the egg of the Narrow-billed on two occasions only, and 

 Mr. Claridge a like number. 



My friend then goes on to remark that it will be seen that the 

 Pallid Cuckoo has a far greater variety of foster-parents than 

 any of the others. At Kelso he saw a pair of Strong-billed Honey- 

 eaters {Melithreptus validirostris) feeding a young Pallid Cuckoo. 

 This species and the Fan-tailed frequently remove an egg of the 

 host before depositing their own, if there are more than two 



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