Vol. VIII. 



1909 



J From Magazines, &C: 157 



Only live insects were given to the young bird until it left the 

 nest, but since then the male has given it occasional morsels of 

 the ordinary insectivorous mixture." The young bird was fed 

 principally on meal-worms, other suitable insects being scarce. 



At the time of writing Mr. Brook supposed that his was the 

 first record of a Wood-Swallow being reared in captivity, but in 

 the October number of the Magazine Mr. Henry Scherren 

 writes : — " Looking over some old Reports of the Zoological 

 Society, I came on the entry of Artanius superciliosus among 

 birds bred at the Gardens in 1870." 



* * * 



" A Bird Enemy — thp: Goanna." — Under the above heading 

 " Goulburnite," in The Argus (Melbourne) of 5th December, 

 1908, thus graphically describes the operations and final dis- 

 comfiture of a rascally nest-robber : — " Near my camp is a small 

 dry box that was ringed years ago, and has gradually lost 

 the greater portion of its head. The short broken limbs which 

 project from the trunk are mere shells, and till last year these 

 were tenanted by a Sparrow community, busy, yet squalid little 

 beggars. Straws stuck out of the cracks, leaves, pieces of 

 paper, and other litter were heaped at the entrances ; and here 

 and there, fluttering in the wind, were scraps of hayband and 

 other fibrous nesting material, completing a picture of poverty- 

 stricken decrepitude. 



" One broiling day in summer there was great excitement in 

 this bush slum. Panting birds were soon congregating from all 

 quarters, the Miner, as usual, being well to the front, vociferously 

 encouraging the Magpies and other fighters to the onslaught. 

 The goanna* was bent on plunder, and took little heed of the 

 outcry, silently making from one limb to another, and visibly 

 swelling as he cleared out each domicile. I made many 

 attempts to dislodge him, but handy missiles were scarce, and 

 my aim faulty. His tail would dangle from a hollow for 

 minutes, then out he would back, bloated, but alert, and at my 

 throw would quickly dodge to the other side of the limb, and 

 craftily crawl to the next aperture. He had gone the whole 

 round of the tree, and, fully gorged, was quietly awaiting my 

 retirement before descending. The birds were sitting about, 

 inactive, and for the most part exhausted and voiceless, and I 

 was glad to take refuge from the glaring sun in the shade of a 

 neighbouring tree. As I moved for shelter, the goanna changed 

 his position on the tree, and this brought him within view of a 

 Kestrel. From her nest-hole in a tall gum near the river bank 

 she spied the fat rascal, as he hugged a branch, lazily moving 

 his head from side to side, and in an instant his demoralization 

 was complete. There was a lightning-like flash, and with 



* A large lizard, sometimes reaching 6 feci in lengUi. — Eds, 



