THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 71 



of Black -breasted Plover were met with, a number of which had 

 the misfortune t:) fall into my basket, and the skin of one is here 

 this evening. 



I soon found my way to the farm of Mr. Raleigh, a gentleman 

 who devotes his attention to hay growing and dairying. After 

 partaking of the hospitality of the homestead, I made a start across 

 a dry creek, accompanied by Mr. Chas. Raleigh, who was most 

 energetic in providing some good hare and rabbit shooting. We 

 had just entered the timber when a Hooded Robin claimed 

 attention. On firing at a rabbit, I disturbed a large flock of the 

 White-winged Chough, whose mournful note was heard for some 

 time. Following up the creek for a short distance several fine 

 Bronzewing Pigeons were disturbed. As I had previously found 

 the nest of these birds with a helpless, shapeless young one in it, 

 they were not interfered with. In the scrub and forest small 

 birds of many kinds were numerous. Of honeyeaters, the Spine- 

 bill, Blackthroat, New Holland, Warty-face, Wattle Bird, White- 

 plumed, &c., were noted. 



On a ti-tree bush I found nests of the Spotted-sided Finch and 

 the little Firetail within two feet of each other. There was no 

 doubt about the matter, as I saw both birds enter their domiciles. 

 I was surprised to find the latter birds breeding so late in the 

 season, and as I found five more of their nests I examined their 

 structure and contents. No. i was composed of grass and only 

 half built, containing one egg. No. 2 was fully built, but not 

 lined, and contained two eggs. No. 3 was built, partly lined, and 

 contained three eggs. No. 4 was finished, well lined with feathers 

 and rabbit fur, and contained five eggs nearly hatched. You will 

 thus observe that these birds appear to start house-keeping on a 

 kind of time-payment principle I have never noticed in any other 

 locality. All the nests I have seen in the Heidelberg district, 

 where these birds are very numerous, were lined before any eggs 

 were laid. » 



After wandering about the paddocks for an hour or two we 

 made a. turn for home across a paddock where I made a fine col- 

 lection of Painted, Brown, and Stubble Quail in June last, in the 

 hope of finding these birds busy with family cares, but alas ! the 

 dryness of the season seems to have driven them all away and 

 where the Land Rail might be seen in scores last spring you could 

 not find a solitary bird now. During the day I only saw one pair 

 of Laughing Jackasses, and killed two tiger snakes. This latter 

 was a surprise to me, as the country crossed appeared to be a 

 perfect paradise for reptiles. My friend was surprised that I 

 found any at all. He says they very seldom see a snake of any 

 kind whatever, but when they do they are generally large ones. 



On recrossing the creek, I saw a large domestic cat apparently 

 on very good terms with some rabbits, and when the latter were 



