221 



drinking milk holds the small vessel containing it between its fore- 

 paws, lapping the milk as a kitten is observed to do. It is evident, 

 from the fondness of this animal for sweets, that, when the Euca- 

 lypti are in flower, it subsists upon the honey which the blossoms 

 yield in very large quantities (this honey is in such abundance as to 

 afford subsistence to honey-eating parrots and other birds, as well as 

 to these animals, and also to myriads of insects of various species). 

 When these have disappeared, it lives upon the nuts and young 

 foliage, and also upon insects. It drinks frequently, and will take 

 water, but evinces a decided preference for and thrives best upon 

 milk. I found that it would sometimes eat the young flower buds 

 of the Eucalyptus, and was also fond of succulent fruit, such as 

 apricots. Although the formation of its teeth would indicate a 

 mixed diet, yet it never, in a state of captivity, has as yet attempted 

 to eat animal food when given to it. 



It left Sydney, N. S. Wales, on the 14th of March 1859 by the 

 overland route, arrived at Southampton on the 27th of May, and 

 was safely deposited in the Gardens of the Society in Regent's Park 

 on the 28th of May, in excellent health and condition, and much 

 grown since it left N. S. Wales. 



3. Notes on Australian Cuckoos. By Dr. George 

 Bennett, F.Z.S. 



The Bronze-winged Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus) very frequently, 

 but it appears not invariably, deposits its egg in the nest of the Fan- 

 tailed Flycatcher (Bhipidura albiscapa). I bring before the Society 

 a sketch of a Fan-tailed Flycatcher feeding the young of that 

 species of Cuckoo, from specimens captured at Ryde, near Sydney, 

 and now preserved in the Australian Museum, from which the draw- 

 ing was made. This Fan-tailed Flycatcher was shot in the act of 

 feeding a young bird in its nest, which, when examined, was found 

 to be the young of the Shining Cuckoo (C lucidus), — the Golden or 

 Bronze Cuckoo of the colonists. The nestling was full-fledged, brown 

 with black markings. It was ludicrous to observe this large bird 

 filling up the entire nest with its corpulent, well-fed body, and re- 

 ceiving the sustenance intended for several young Rhipidurce. We 

 could imagine underneath the nest the skeletons of the former tenants 

 sacrificed to the rearing of this parasitical Cuckoo. 



On the morning of the 25th of February, 1859, Mr. Alfred Deni- 

 son pointed out to me on the lawn in the garden of Government 

 House among the flower-beds a male Purple Warbler (Malurus 

 cyaneus) of glowing colours, perched upon a rose bush, and the 

 female in its pale-brown plumage. They were both actively en- 

 gaged, hopping about and wagging their tails (which they carry 

 generally in an elevated position), in attending to the wants of a 

 young bird much larger than themselves. This was found to be the 



