Vol. xiv.j gfy^y Feathers. 219 



Magpies {Gymnorhina organicuui) reared their young as usual 

 in the big gum-tree in the school-ground. One pair brought 

 three fledgelings to the play-ground, where their constant calKng 

 for food was not always the sweetest music during school hours. 

 The members of this family, with one exception, have now sought 

 a wider range. One young bird keeps about, and comes close 

 when hungry. It stands a few feet away from one, and eats 

 bits of meat, holding them with its claws. The other day, during 

 dinner recess, I saw the bird standing in front of three little 

 boys, who were giving it scraps from their sandwiches. — (Miss) 

 J. A. Fletcher. Springfield (Tasmania), 6/2/15. 



A Nesting Record of the Red-capped Robin. — A pair of Red- 

 capped Robins, Petroica goodenovii (Whiteornis g. goodenovii), 

 have nested and hatched four clutches of eggs. These are 

 the second pair of Red-capped Robins that T have noticed on the 

 plains near Glenelg in 30 years. These pairs seemed to have 

 adapted themselves to the altered environment. The young left 

 the first nest on 19th August ; it was built facing north, on a 

 low branch about 2 or 3 feet from the ground. Very few 

 leaves were on the tree at that time of year. On 4th September 

 three eggs were in a second nest built in a fork about 8 feet 

 high. On 6th September the young were just out of the eggs. 

 On 29th September they left the nest. It was very amusing to 

 see the old birds playing tricks to draw me away from the young 

 ones. On 20th October the female bird was sitting on her third 

 clutch. On 26th October the young Robins were out of the eggs. 

 While I was watching the young, the female bird came to feed 

 them with a spider, flying within a foot of my face ; the day was 

 very hot. On 8th November the young Robins were sitting on 

 the edge of the nest. On 27th November the female bird was 

 sitting on her fourth clutch of two eggs. This is the third time 

 she has used the same nest. 5th December saw the young Robins 

 out of the eggs ; they left the nest about the i6th. The weather 

 was very hot while the young were in the nest. When watering 

 fruit-trees I made a trench round the trees to run the water in ; 

 this made insects and spiders run. The Robins took advantage 

 of this, and, perching on the lower branches, they darted down 

 on the insects. Though it was very hot at this time, I never saw 

 them drink or touch the water. I never noticed the male bird 

 sit on the eggs or young, but he was as active as the female bird 

 in feeding the young ones. I would like to hear from bird-lovers 

 or ornithologists if it is unusual for native birds to have four 

 broods in the same season and to rear all the young ones. The 

 old birds seemed to drive the nestlings away from the breeding- 

 ground. I put barbed wire around the trunk of the almond tree 

 to keep the cats away. Did the birds notice if the wire was to 

 protect them ? — Same. Sanders, Sturt, South Australia, 

 19/8/14. 



