Stray Notes. 77


doubtful whether any living example has previously been exhibited in

Europe. This pair was presented to the Zoological Society by Colonel

Mauders, R.A.M.C.



Another very interesting addition to the Zoological Society's col-

lection is a fine example of the Kagu from New Caledonia, acquired by

purchase. This very interesting species has not been represented in the

Society's collection since 1885. Some notes on it appeared in this journal

for July 1905 (Vol. III. N. S., p. 2S0).



Mr. F. L. Berney contributes some very interesting field notes from

the Richmond District of North Queensland, to the October number of the

Emu, and some of the birds he refers to are very well-known to aviculturists

in this country.


Of the Zebra or Chestnut-eared Finch Mr. Berney writes :


" During the eight or nine years previous to 1906 /. castanotis has

been our most constant resident in the bird line, but this year, one of

our best seasons on record, when grass and herbage, and therefore, of

course, seed, are in abundance, it has entirely left our district, dis-

appearing as soon as the first general rains fell in January, and so far

(August) it has not shown up again. The contented manner in which

it adapts itself to circumstances, together with its fecundity, will long

ensure its being among the survivors in the struggle for existence. . : .

A pair that built their nest among the rafters inside a boundary-rider's

hut successfully led forth three broods in three and a half months."

Of the Budgerigars {Melopsittacus -undulatus) the same author writes :

"Their numbers vary; generally a few are about, but the winter is

the time of their visitation. P'rom March to July last year we had a

wonderful invasion. Their numbers were such that it would be hard to

credit without actually seeing them ; everywhere you went flocks rose

out of the grass, and the air was full of the rush and whirring of their

wings. Some of the immense flocks seen at a distance across the open

downs were hard to tell from dust storms, even by men who knew the

bush well. At one station I heard of forty or fifty being picked up one

morning, killed or maimed, beneath a telephone wire that connected

two buildings 150 yards apart."



Tn the same number of the Emu Mr. D. Le Soue'f publishes the

following notes from the Melbourne Zoological Gardens :


" A pair of Cape Barren Geese hatched out four young ones early

in June. In July five eggs were laid again in the same nest, the former

young being six weeks old. The bird which did not happen to be

sitting looked after the young, but they clustered round the sitting bird

at night, so were removed and given an unattached male to be looked

after. The second brood were duly hatched in July, and are doing well.



