118 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



by Mr. Le Souef follows this and relates another aggression by 

 introduced birds upon natives, in which a pair of the well-known 

 " Laughing Jackass " (Dacelo gigas) were evicted from a nesting-box, 

 which they had already used at least once, by Starlings. But in this 

 case " the return of the native " was in the nature of reprisals, for 

 the big Kingfishers ultimately came back and ate up the young 

 Starlings — why they did not thus treat the old birds is a puzzle. 

 Over twenty-eight pages and several plates in this part are devoted 

 to a paper by Dr. J. E. W. Shufeldt, of Washington, on the com- 

 parative osteology of Harris's Cormorant (Na?mopterum harrisi) — an 

 interesting species, because flightless and of recent discovery, but as 

 it comes from the Galapagos, the paper seems rather out of place 

 in a journal meant to " popularise the study and protection of native 

 [Australian] birds." A note on the singular little quail-like Plain- 

 wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus), the only four-toed Hemipode, 

 indicates that this, like some of the true Quails, is apparently partly 

 nocturnal, and is illustrated by a fine photograph of this species, 

 now, alas ! declining, in a characteristic tip-toe attitude. On the 

 next page a very clear and beautiful print illustrates the tameness of 

 one of four Laughing Jackasses, which have formed a habit of 

 coming to the doorsteps of some of the residents of Upper Fern-tree 

 Gully, Victoria, to feed on raw meat placed for them there ; it is the 

 work of Messrs. Littlejohns and Lawrence. In the January number 

 there are some nice studies of the nesting of the charming tiny 

 Mistletoe-bird (Dicceum hirundinaceum) , illustrating a paper by the 

 same observers ; this species, we may remark, can be seen alive at 

 the Zoo at present. There are several other studies of nests of 

 Australian birds, of which the best and most remarkable is that of 

 the Lemon-breasted Flycatcher (Micrczca flavig aster), a structure 

 which " is about the circumference of a half-crown and the receptacle 

 of a single egg " ; it is noted by Mr. A. J. Campbell. On the last 

 page the editors observe that " a recent criticism stated that ' The 

 Emu' was neglecting popular ornithology and was becoming too 

 technical. The editors are keenly alive to the necessity of developing 

 popular interest in Australian birds, and have not lost sight of 

 that plank in the Union's platform. All papers dealing with the 

 popular side of ornithology that have reached the editors have been 

 printed in full." No doubt the splendid support Australia and New 

 Zealand are giving us in the war has caused a falling off in bio- 

 nomical contributions owing to the absence of many who would 

 otherwise have contributed notes, but it struck us too in reviewing 



