ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 170 



some spots the nests were so close together as to touch each other. Two graziers, who were accustomed 

 to counting large numbers of sheep, counted the pelicans on the lake near the nesting colony ; one 

 made the number 604 and the other 596. 



Some ill the birds would fly towards and soar over the heads of any pedestrians or riders coming 

 within sight ol their 1. reeding ground. One day, while watching the old birds on their nests after 

 some hail flown away. I saw one pelican deliberately toss two eggs into the water. It seemed to me 

 at tht time that these two eggs were from its neighbour's nest. Some of them certainly robbed their 

 neighbour?' nests ol stick- to build up their own, when the more timid birds had flown away. Some- 

 times there was quite a clashing of long beaks in light, the nests being so close together. A young 

 cormorant, disturbed from its nest, tried to land on the pelican ground, but, after many 

 ferocious thrusts from the old pelicans, it was glad to take to the water again. I discovered that it 

 was possible to drive and muster the young pelicans on the water, and one day five men on horseback 

 surrounded the young pelicans, drove them nearly two miles on the water, guided over thirty of them 

 on to the land, and through a gate into a rabbit netting fence. Some of the largest of the young birds 

 flew away when nearing the land, but sixteen were captured and sent to Taronga Park. — William 

 Low, Cowal North, N.S.W. 



Magpies Killing Quail. Recently while strolling through some paddocks we flushed several 

 quail. One flew straight ahead and dropped near two magpies [Gymnorhina tibicen), one of which 

 attacked the quail, which wc rescued, finding it quite disabled, one wing being broken and a deep 

 wound made in its head. — Thos. Chas. Bt'RNEii , Wollun, N.S.W. 



Wire Xests for Magpies. — The magpies here frequently use tie-wire in the construction of 

 their nests. They find scraps of the material along the fences, where it is used for fastening the rabbit- 

 netting to the wires. Last season — in September, 1017 — we had a very heavy fall of snow ; large 

 branches were broken from the trees all over the bush, and many unfortunate bird families lost their 

 nests and their lives. Every magpie's nest discovered by my grandsons was composed, more or less, 

 of wire. One piece — No. 16 gauge — was over 5 feet long. I should think that it required the united 

 efforts of two magpies to coil it. Some of the nests contained shorter pieces of heavier wire, in some 

 instances telephone wire, No. 12 ; but they must surely have found it already sufficiently bent for their 

 purposes. — Thos. Chas. Bvrnell, Wollun, N.S.W. 



The Sagacity of Brooding Birds. — My first experience occurred while collecting at Brook- 

 lana, the Hoop-pine Park of Don Dorrigo plateau, on 9th January, 1914. Winding my way along the 

 serpentine banks of the Bo Bo River, a most retired locality adjoining the Never Never, I observed a 

 peculiar-sheped nest, suspended by shreds of dried moss to a single thorny arched spray of Lawyer vine. 

 It was somewhat different in shape to the nests of a species of Gerygone, which hung rather plentifully 

 in the vicinity, and appeared not unlike a semi-compressed Ocarina, with a bearded appendage below ; 

 the entrance spout, however, was placed at right angles to the vertical structure, and therefore com- 

 pletely hid the interior. The birds were invisible, so I ventured to insert my finger through the aperture. 

 The moment I did so the young birds within began to chirp ; then, like a flash, two small birds dashed 

 from cover, flew past my face and disappeared in the dense scrub beyond. With the hope of securing 

 a photograph of the unique nest, and possibly the parents at the entrance, I decided to mark the 

 position and blaze my way out of the tangle. On my return with the camera about two hours later, 

 I found that the bottom of the nest had been broken through, and the young birds were gone. I came 

 to the conclusion that the parent birds had deliberately destroyed the nest during my absence, for the 

 bearded portion appeared to be stretched and dishevelled as if it had been used as a ladder for descent 

 to the ground ; possibly the young birds could perform this feat unaided by their parents. 



