Iq6 Stray Feathers. [J 



Emu 

 Oct. 



acquainted with their new friend, and thereafter come regularly 



at the dining hours. When I went to take the photograph I 



arrived about 8 o'clock on a most beautiful morning. The birds 



were there in scores, all clamouring for their breakfast, which 



had been delayed until I arrived. Mrs. Innes feeds them on a 



syrup made of milk and sugar. — E. M. Cornwall. Mackav (0.). 



2/6/10. 



* * * 



Prolific Podicipes. — On 21st November, iqoq, while on a 

 visit to Mr. Hill, of Caermarthen station, Upper Manilla, I went to 

 a dam close to the homestead, where I discovered a Grebe's 

 {Podicipes novce-hollandicB) nest floating on the surface of the water 

 about 20 feet from the land. I waded out to the nest, removed 

 the covering, and found it contained a clutch of four eggs. I then 

 returned, and mentioned the fact to Mr. Hill, who quietly in- 

 formed me that it would not remain there very long, as he was 

 starting to plough the following da}/, and the horses when coming 

 to drink would soon trample it down, so I at once decided to go 

 back and photograph and collect the clutch of eggs. After 

 securing and successfully blowing them I found that they were 

 partly incubated. I made another visit to the dam a fortnight 

 later and found the nest still intact and a Grebe sitting close thereon. 

 When I got within about 100 feet from the spot the bird stood up, 

 covered the nest, and dived into the water and disappeared from 

 view while I walked a dozen paces. (Plate XH.) I examined the 

 nest again, and discovered, to my surprise, a second clutch of eggs 

 (five). On making inquiries later, I was informed that the birds 

 were holding their own against the horses. On the Sunday 

 following I went out again to examine the nest for the third time, 

 but found it deserted by the birds ; only one egg remained, the 

 nest was very dilapidated, and the covering was nowhere to be 

 found. — Harry Burrkll. Manilla (N.S.W.), 17/5/10. 



Bird Notes from Cunninghame. — Swift Lorikeet. — Several 

 times during my stay here this autumn (1910) I have noticed 

 companies of the Swift Lorikeet [Etiphema discolor) dashing by 

 overhead, and going to the north. One afternoon, the wind being 

 north-west, light, and the day line and sunny, many parties passed 

 over at a considerable height, my attention being attracted to 

 them by the sharp chattering notes they utter while on their flight. 

 All came from the south, ai)parently from the sea, which is about 

 half a mile distant, and went away northward. It is })ossible that 

 they are migrating from Tasmania, where for many weeks past the 

 weather had been rough and stormy. Shrike-Thrush. — A Shrike- 

 Thrush [Collyriocincla harmonica) was observed to capture a large 

 hairy caterpillar, which he battered considerably on a log, taking 

 care that all the life was out of it before he swallowed the tit-bit. 

 Hairy larvae are usually said to be the Cuckoos' perquisites, and 



