THE WOMBAT. 43 



and the masked view in the ordinary way. While it is 

 printing, slightly shade off towards the horizon with a piece 

 of cardboard to get the effect of distance, otherwise the 

 clouds will look like a wall. 



In putting clouds in a vignetted picture it is better to 

 shade away from the horizon, or the sky would not balance 

 with the other portion of the view. 



For a moonlight effect print dark and bring to a colder tone 

 than for a daylight picture. I cannot give you hard and fast 

 rules for every view. Use your own judgment. 



I must own that the chief beauty of a natural sky lies in 

 the colouring, and this you cannot reproduce, but do the best 

 you can. Little points will strike you in manipulation, and 

 every failure will teach you something new. 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE 

 BENDIGO DISTRICT. 



(Concluded.) 



By W. Macgillivray. 



The order Raptores, as represented in Australia by the hawks 

 and owls we find pretty evenly distributed throughout the 

 colonies, and the district under consideration has its fair com- 

 plement of these noble and useful birds. 



The Falcons, about the most daring and powerful of the 

 order, will first engage our attention. Two species came under 

 my notice, the Black-checked and the Little Falcon; these two 

 hawks, and more especially the latter, are greatly dreaded by 

 all smaller birds, who generally make off to the nearest shelter 

 ing bush or thicket on their approach. Ducks of various, 

 kinds are preyed upon by these birds, being generally killed 

 on the wing. Many duck shooters have a great regard for 

 the Little Falcon, as ducks will rarely rise out of range of the 

 guns when this bird is in the neighbourhood. 



The common Brown Hawk is frequently met with, and 

 its congener the Western Brown Hawk has been shot, and 

 its eggs taken at Swan Hill by my friend, Mr. R. Hall. 



The little Nankeen Kestrel, one of the best known hawks 

 on the continent, though commonly called the " Sparrow 

 Hawk," is easily distinguished from the latter bird both by 

 its light reddish brown plumage, and by its well-known habit 

 of hovering in the air over some particular spot on the groimd 

 where something has attracted its notice. It usually lays its 

 eggs in a hollow tree on the decayed wood, but sometimes 

 chooses other situations. 



