GENERAL NOTES. 85 
natural enemy of this bird.” It may also be seen occasionally 
pursuing the wild pigeon (Carpophaga nove-zealandie), and 
many other species of bush bird ; it is likewise a frequent visitor 
to the pigeon house, and commits great havoc among the pigeons 
in the summer and autumn months. I have often observed it sit- 
ting on fences or the old withered stems of cabbage trees (Cor- 
dyline australis), and flying every few minutes to the ground 
catching lizards. I have seen it visit stacks of grain for several 
weeks, subsisting on mice, and waiting patiently sitting on the 
rails around the stacks until a mouse made its appearance, when 
it would dart quickly and seize it, rarely ever missing its mark ; 
but the “strong predilection for its chase of the lark,” and the fact 
of the latter being a very common bird, would warrant unmistake- 
ably that it constitutes the principal food of the bush hawk. There 
are many other “ individual peculiarities” which cannot be no- 
ticed here, but one I will mention, that were the two species 
identical it would be absolutely unnatural to suppose that the 
largest birds of both sexes would betake themselves to a solitary 
life in the back country, except during the winter months, while 
the smaller ones remain in and around the wooded gullies and 
bush near the Plains. If the colours and markings in mature 
old birds (which are very different) will not suffice, if careful 
“sexing” and measurement will not convince some ornitholo- 
gists that they are distinct, they will undoubtedly accept them 
as such when a proper knowledge of their economy is obtained. 
W.W.S. 
a a a 
DR R. vON LENDENFELD having left the Lincoln College 
of Agriculture, has proceeded to Sydney, where he has been 
commissioned by the Hon. W. Macleay, of Sydney, to write a 
monograph of the Australian Sponges. Rooms and material 
have been placed at his disposal, so that we may shortly expect 
to hear of the progress of this work, for the execution of which 
he is well qualified. 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALEsS.—The sixteenth 
volume of the Journal and Proceedings of this Society for 1882, 
has only recently been issued. The great delay in its appear- 
ance is explained to be due to the amount of more pressing work 
which had to be got through at the Government printing office. 
Many of the papers which are contained in the present 
volume have been already referred to in the N.Z. JOURNAL OF 
SCIENCE ; but, as a general rule, most of the papers read before 
the Royal Society are of a nature unfavourable to condensation. 
Prof. Liversidge communicates four valuable papers, dating 
from 1880, but which are only now published, together with six 
beautifully executed photo-heliographs. The Rev. J. E. Teni- 
son-Woods also contributes four papers (some of which have 
been already noticed in our columns), also beautifully illustrated 
