1 62 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
aerial evolutions^ uttering a kind of squealing chuckle 
the while. 
There has been some debate as to whether we 
have one or two kinds of Brown Hawk in Victoria. 
That there is another variety in Western Australia, 
and perhaps also in South Australia, is probable ; 
but Gould, who recognised the birds as two species, 
apparently considered the Western bird as confined to 
West and South Australia. The Eastern and Western 
forms are, in the light of modern knowledge, to be 
regarded as at best subspecies produced by differing 
environments ; these would not then both be found 
within the same geographical area. I mention this 
because there is a " Western Brown Hawk " in the 
Melbourne Museum which is stated to have been 
obtained from Winchelsea. On close examination it 
will probably prove to belong to the Eastern form. 
I referred to the Goshawk's inhabiting the light 
bush, and not coming on to the plains. The Brown 
Hawk, on the other hand, is chiefly at home on plain 
country, and is, therefore, most abundant towards 
Werribee, on the one hand, and Inverleigh on the 
other. In the eastern part of the district, towards 
Queenscliff, it sometimes occurs, but is there not 
nearly so common as it is on the plains. 
The favourite site for the nest is an isolated gum 
tree on a plain, or else one near the outside of a clump 
of gums standing by themselves ; always the nest-tree 
is in a commanding position. The nest is a large 
rough structure of sticks, placed in a thick horizontal 
