^4 Stray Feathers. [ist^Tiiy 



Nicholls brought a specimen in the flesh into the Tasmanian 

 Museum. He found it dead near the back door of the home- 

 stead of his property at Richmond, some \6 miles north-east of 

 Hobart. For years past it, or its like, had frequented his out- 

 houses. It appears to me to be a dark race of the mainland 

 Strix delicatnla, the vermiculations of the dorsal surface being 

 scarcely visible. The tail is pure white, with only a faint tinge 

 of pale orange on one portion of the upper surface. Although 

 one specimen is alone available for record, the white of the 

 under surface of it is so very clear, and the deep brownish-grey 

 of the upper surface so devoid of tawny or pale orange, that it 

 appeals to me as being an insular form of the mainland species. 

 The characteristic feature of this specimen is that it is deep 

 brownish-grey, with scarcely any orange upon it, causing it to 

 appear sooty on the whole of the upper surface rather than 

 tawny or orange. The colour of the legs is creamy and not 

 yellow. 



Calopsittacns novce-hollandice, Gm., is the second species. It 

 was forwarded to the Tasmanian Museum by Mr. Charles 

 Eaton, and collected on the Russell River, North Huon, 9th 

 March, 19 10. Thinking it possible the bird had escaped from 

 captivity, I wrote to Mr. Eaton for particulars. In reply I learn 

 that the residents have not seen this species, it being quite 

 unfamiliar to them. It was shot while upon a dry eucalypt, 

 and is in autumn plumage. The Cockatoo-Parrot is migratory 

 in both eastern and western Australia. It is possible it overflew 

 its normal southern range, and may have been one of a scattered 

 flock. I scarcely think that Tasmania was at any time the 

 southern portion of its home. 



It is on record* that a flock of Lorikeets (TricJioglossus novcE- 

 lioUandice) has been seen in a district after an absence of 25 

 years ; wliile a flock of Galah Cockatoos {Cacatua roseicapilla) 

 has been seen after 30 years' absence. Even so, this record, I 

 consider, is simply that of an errant bird rather than of one 

 that has escaped from its cage. — ROBERT Hall. Hobart, 

 6/6/10. 



A Defence of Oology. 



The following is an abridged account of an article by Milton S. 

 Ray, California, which appeared in The Condor, January, 

 1910 : — 



"The first point I wish to take up is : Is oology scientific or 

 popular ornithology } 



" In the opinion of some, perhaps many, the structure and 



* Emu, Oclober, 1903. 



