Vol. VIII, 



J Fletcher, Bird Notes from Cleveland, Tasmania. JQ 



Bird Notes from Cleveland, Tasmania. 



By (Miss) J. A. Fletcher, Cleveland (Tasmania). 



This open forest country, with its surrounding plains and small, 

 stony, sheoak-crowned hills, is a happy place for the bird student. 

 Many of the depressions between the hills are occupied by 

 lagoons, and to these are attracted various water-fowl, both 

 visiting and stationary. The presence of large tracts covered 

 with banksia trees gives the place a great charm to the little 

 feathered honey-lovers, and the gruff note of the Yellow Wattle- 

 Bird {AcantJiocJicsra inauris), mingled with the discordant screech 

 of the Musk-Lorikeet {Glossopsittacus concinmis), is at present 

 (May) frequently to be heard. 



On the i6th May I noticed, for the first time since my residence 

 here — sixteen months — a flock of the beautiful Blue-winged 

 Grass-Parrakeet {Ncop/ieina vcnusta). The birds were amidst 

 some thistles in a gum-tree forest, and rose up at my approach. 

 How beautiful they appeared as the sun's rays shone upon their 

 colours ! They did not fly far, but alighted on the low boughs 

 of a dead wattle, and looked inquisitively at the intruder. 



That same day I had the pleasure of seeing some of the 

 Yellow-bellied Parrakcets {Pintycercus Jlavwentris) in most 

 perfect plumage ; others again were more yellow, and had hardly 

 any of the darker colouring. Flocks of Rosellas {Platycercus 

 eximius) rose regretfully from their honeyed feast on the bankgia 

 trees. 



Last autumn (1907) I was indeed delighted to observe the 

 Ground-Parrakeet {Pezoporus forinosns) on the grassy rises near 

 the lagoon. I believe these birds are becoming very rare, and 

 this year I have not seen any. Those I watched last year were 

 under the almost leafless briars, and were eating the hips that 

 had fallen. On my nearer approach they did not rise, but 

 retreated to the cover of another clump of briars, and, when I 

 persisted in following them, retired to the seclusion of the outer 

 circle of reeds bordering the lagoon. This autumnal season has 

 been a better one for grass seeds, &c., so doubtless this accounts 

 for their absence this year. 



In many of the paddocks the black wattle grows, and as 

 every tree harbours the larva of the wattle goat moth, the Black 

 Cockatoos {CalyptorJiyncJms fiineretis) are often here. How 

 diligently they search for the poor grubs concealed in the trunks. 

 A flock of nine settled on a neighbour's woodstack, the logs 

 being piled lengthways, and tore the bark of the logs off in their 

 hunt for the delicacy. 



The Spur-winged Plovers {LobivaneUus lobatus) are plentiful, 

 and are very fond of the destructive grass grub, as are also 

 those much-abused birds, the Crows {Corvus coronoides)* 



* Probably the Raven {Corone australis) is intended. — Eds. 



