294 stray Feathers. [2.^"}",,. 



White - SHOULDERED Caterpillar -eater (Lalage 

 tricolor). — A few years ago this handsome and useful bird 

 was comparatively rare about this district. During the last few 

 nesting seasons, however, I have noted a steady increase in their 

 numbers ; and now they are becoming plentiful. At the 

 present time three pairs are nesting in our orchard — one nest 

 being placed high in a cherry-plum and the other two low in 

 pear trees. In the first-mentioned tree a pair of birds built last 

 year, and safely reared a brood of young ; so, presumably, these 

 are the same birds again returned. I am always glad to see 

 them about the place, not only on account of their insect-eating 

 proclivities, but also for their bright, cheerful ways and musical 

 chattering song. The other day I spent a pleasant half-hour 

 watching one of these birds — a male — weaving the fibres of its 

 tiny nest around the slender branchlets in one of the fruit-trees. 

 A pretty picture he made, sitting lightly in a fork of two limbs, 

 his head moving briskly from side to side, as he wove each fibre 

 into position. Both sexes assist in the building of the nest 

 and incubation of the eggs, but I find the male bird, if anything, 

 the more industrious of the two. Certainly, he is a very energetic 

 helpmeet. 



Last month 1 found three of these nests in a local park — a 

 favourite place for marauding boys — simply by watching the 

 birds for a few minutes. In this place the nests are invariably 

 situated high up in pine trees. The birds display but little fear 

 of human beings, and will sit or fly close by while the nest is 

 being examined. In this connection a little incident that came 

 under the notice of a large number of picnickers at a spot in the 

 Pyrenees Mountains, last week, called forth many expressions of 

 admiration. Right in the centre of the picnicking ground a 

 pair of Lalages had built their nest low in a wattle-tree. Never 

 having been disturbed, the sitting bird had become so tame and 

 trustful that she would allow visitors to approach quite closely, 

 and even stroke her back, as she sat sheltering her single young 

 one. — A. II. CiiisliOLM. Maryborough (Vic), 22/ii/ic. 



Field Notes from Broome Hill, Western Aus- 

 tralia.* — 9th April, 1 910. — Ncositta pilcata (Black-capped 

 Tree-runner). — Unusual numbers of this bird were seen on 

 above date. While driving along a high road a distance of 6 

 miles, small parties of three to six birds were seen all the way. 



7th May. — Ciiculus inornatus (Pallid Cuckoo) first heard. 



2ist June. — Ninox ocellata. — A specimen of this Owl that I 



* These notes were accompanied by an interesting set of photograjihs taken by 

 Mrs. Carter, but it is regretted want of space did not permit of their reproduction. 

 —Eds. 



