172 Fletcher, Occurrence of Cisticola in Tasmania. [isf'"ian 



a nest situated in the centre of a tussock on the edge of a jiotato- 

 field. " A brownish-coloured bird ilew out of the nest, which 

 contained two blue eggs with blackish spots." The lad was 

 asked to bring me the nest and contents, but when he went for 

 them the eggs had been taken. 



I hope soon to be able to forward a specimen of the strange bird 

 for identification. These birds have a peculiar habit of throwing 

 leaves over their shoulders when busily hunting for food. 



Notes on the Cassowary (Casuarius australis. Wall). 



By H. L. White, R.A.O.U., Scone, N.S.W. 



For years, prior to 1911, I offered as much as ;^io each for full 

 clutches of Cassowary eggs, had upwards of a dozen men on the 

 look-out for me, and obtained one clutch only. The reports were 

 usually, " Birds often seen, but eggs impossible to find." The 

 aborigines even appeared able to secure only odd eggs. 



Since 191 1 I have obtained five clutches and several odd eggs, 

 all of which show variations in size and colour. Following are 

 the measurements of average-sized specimens from my six sets : — 

 (I) 5.03 X 3.57 ; (2) 5.15 X 3.68 ; (3) 4.87 X 3.67 ; (4) 5.27 x 3.67 ; 

 (5) 5-58 X 3.78 ; (6) 5.52 x 3.92. No. 6 is the largest egg of any 

 Australian species in my collection. The colour ranges from pale 

 to very dark green, and is much darker in fresh than in incubated 

 specimens. Cassowary eggs, like those of the Emu, lose their 

 colour completely when exposed to the weather for a length of 

 time. I have an almost white specimen, found in what was 

 supposed to be an old nest. The surface of the shell varies from 

 comparatively smooth to extremely rough and shagreen-like. 

 I have not obtained more than four eggs to the clutch. 



Early in May, 1911, I engaged Mr. E. D. Frizelle, who had 

 previously collected for me, to spend a few months in the 

 Rockingham Bay district observing the habits of these most 

 interesting birds. Mr. Frizelle fixed his camp at Clump Point, 

 at the northern end of the bay, and spent five months in the 

 locality, making a close study of the birds during the whole time. 

 He was fortunate in obtaining two clutches of eggs, and con- 

 firmed the theory I have always held, that the finding of these 

 rare eggs is almost entirely a matter of chance. ^|^- Frizelle is 

 observant, energetic, and a bushman with an extensive knowledge 

 of North Queensland scrubs. He had been well coached, and 

 placed in a locality where the birds were plentiful. If he, there- 

 fore, experienced such difficulty (as his notes show) in obtaining 

 eggs, it tends to uphold my argument. 



In addition to the difficulty in finding eggs provided with 

 perfect protective colouring, concealed in almost impenetrable 

 scrub, there is the fact that the female bird, when disturbed from 

 her nest, invariably deserts the eggs, and in some instances 



