296 



Sly ay Feathers. F ^"l" 



•^ Lzist Jan. 



1 2th August. — A few Black-and-White Swallows [Cheramoeca 

 Iciicosternuni) were observed, flying, as usual, at a considerable 

 height. 



1 8th August. — A nest containing three incubated eggs of the 

 Gilbert Thickhead {PacJiycephala gilberti) was found in the dead 

 prickly leaves of a stinkwood tree. The nest was 5 feet from 

 the ground, and was made of twigs and fibrous bark. The lining 

 consisted of fine fibre and grass, with a little sheep's wool. The 

 male bird was sitting. 



20th August. — A party of Banded Wrens {Maltinis splcndcns) 

 was noted, one male bird being in full plumage. On 28th 

 September I saw another family 50 miles from here, in which 

 was no male bird in full plumage, one only having partly 

 assumed its breeding feathers. 



26th August. — The family of eleven Magpies {GynmorJiina 

 dorsalis) which had been about the house, feeding on scraps 

 from the kitchen, since my return in April, was reduced to four 

 birds of last year, which were in the immature brownish plumage, 

 the others having paired and gone away to nest. At date of 

 writing (29th October) these four birds are still about the house 

 and in full moult. According to my experience, this Magpie 

 does not breed until two years of age. 



1st September. — A nest of Calamanthus niontanelhis (Rock 

 Field-Wren) was found on a sand plain, built as usual in a 

 slight hollow in the ground. It contained two Wrens' eggs and 

 one of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacoviantis flabelliforniis). I 

 think this is the first record of this Cuckoo laying in a Rock 

 Field-Wren's nest. White-shouldered Caterpillar-eaters (Z^/a^^ 

 tricolor) made their first appearance, and the White-tailed 

 Cockatoos {CalyptorJiyncJms bmidini) were making ready their 

 nesting-holes. 



4th September. — Observed a nest of the Bronze-wing Pigeon 

 {Phaps cJialcoptera) containing two incubated eggs, about 10 feet 

 from the ground in a sheoak tree iCasiiarina). The male bird 

 was sitting. The Western Thickhead {Pachycephala occidentalis) 

 was noted singing, in immature plumage. 



5th September. — Young Black-breasted Plovers {Zonifer tri- 

 color) were observed about ten days old. 



14th September. — The Black-throated Grebes had eggs in 

 their nest on one of my stock tanks, as I could see them from 

 the edge of the water. On the 19th I waded to the nest to see 

 how the eggs were progressing, but found only one &%^ and the 

 nest forsaken, and a second nest had been built about 20 yards 

 away, which contained three eggs. Another q^^, at least, must 

 have been subsequently laid, as four young birds hatched out on 

 13th October. 



15th September. — Two eggs of the White-tailed Cockatoo 

 [C. bandini) were brought to me, having been just taken from the 



I 



