Vol- vni.] siray Feathers. 37 



Stray Feathers. 



Capt. a. Simpson states that in the latitudes he usually steams 



between the Cape of Good Hope and Australia, he has noticed 



of late years, from whatever cause, a decrease in the number of 



Cape Petrels {Daption capensis) generally seen on that track. — 



AJ.C. 



* * * 



Nest and Egg of Paradisea raggiana. — The nest and 

 egg of this beautiful bird were found in southern New Guinea 

 last December, and were forwarded to Mr. Atlee Hunt to add 

 to his interesting ornithological collection from New Guinea. 

 The loosely-built nest was built in a fork of a thickly-foliaged 

 ficus-tree, and is composed outwardly of rather coarse rootlets 

 and vines, in which are embedded large leaves ; the lining is 

 composed of fine dark-coloured rootlets and tendrils. The 

 measurements are : — Outside depth, 5 inches ; depth of nesting 

 depression, 2 inches ; outside breadth, 7 inches ; and breadth of 

 nesting depression, 4}4 inches. The ^^^ is much elongated, and 

 was fresh when found, only one being in the nest. Its ground 

 colour is cream, with light reddish-brown and brownish-purple 

 streaks and dashes of varying length, mostly starting from just 

 below the apex of the larger end. The egg measures .94 inches 

 by 1.70 inches. — D. Le Souef. Melbourne. (See Plate IV.) 



The Red Wattle-Bird {Acanthochcera cariincnlata). — On 

 account of the early flowering of the various eucalypts, these 

 birds have arrived here over a month earlier than last year. 

 Although the main body of the " Wattles " has not yet arrived, 

 the birds are very plentiful about the bush, and their numbers 

 are being added to daily. It would be interesting to know how 

 the birds learnt of the early flowering of the trees. I notice 

 they do not confine themselves to a honey diet, but may be seen 

 ever and anon darting after various insects. The blossoms of 

 the iron-bark {Eucalyptus) trees are specially favoured by these 

 birds. During their autumnal visits the " Wattles " are generally 

 accompanied by a good number of Warty-faced Honey-eaters 

 {Meliphaga pJirygia), but these pretty birds have not, as yet, put 

 in an appearance, though there are dozens of the smaller Honey- 

 eaters and a few Lorikeets. — A. H. Chisholm. Maryborough 



(Vict.), 8/5/08. 



* * * 



Spotted Bower-Bird. — The following notes on the 

 Spotted Bower-Bird {CJilaviydodcra maculata), culled from a 

 letter from a bird-observer living up in the heart of Western 

 Queensland, will be of interest. My friend writes :— " One of 



