DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 
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stumps, or dead trees. Food : mice, lizards, grasshoppers, and other large 
insects. 
Nest. — A platform composed of sticks and lined with leaves ; often a 
deserted nest of a Crow or Magpie is used. 
Eggs. — Usually three, whitish, coarsely blotched with reddish-brown 
markings; some eggs have the markings confined to the larger end, in 
others they are evenly distributed. Breeding-season: June to November. 
9. Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus Gould 
scrip* -tus — L., scriptus, written. 
Distribution. — Southern and western Queensland, New South Wales, 
Victoria, South Australia, and central Australia. 
Notes. — Usually singly or in pairs, occasionally in flocks, frequenting 
open and lightly timbered country of the inland areas. It is similar in 
habits and economy to the Black-shouldered Kite. In central and western 
Queensland this species congregates in flocks to feed on native rats, 
irruptions of which occur periodically. 
Nest. — A platform composed of fine sticks and lined with leaves 
and fur. 
Eggs. — Three or four, bluish-white, densely blotched with brown and 
blood red markings, sometimes about the larger end only. Breeding- 
season: August to November. 
10. Grey Goshawk Astur novce-hollandice Gmelin 
As-tur — L., astur, goshawk: novce-hollandice — of New Holland. 
Distribution. — Northern, eastern, and southern Australia, and Tas- 
mania; also occurs in New Guinea. 
Notes. — Usually singly or in pairs, frequenting chiefly the thickly 
timbered coastal districts and inland forest country. It attacks small birds 
and also feeds on large insects such as grasshoppers, cicadas, and beetles. 
There are two forms of this species, a white and a grey, which have been 
known to mate. 
Nest. — A large structure, composed of sticks, and lined with leaves; 
generally placed among the topmost branches of a tall tree. 
Eggs. — Usually two, faint bluish-white; some eggs have a few brown 
markings about the larger end. Breeding-season: August to December. 
11. Goshawk Astur fasciatus Vigors and Horsfield 
fas-ci-a-tus — L., fasciatus , banded. 
Distribution. — Australia generally, and Tasmania; also occurs in 
Flores, Timor to New Guinea, and New Caledonia. 
Notes. — Also called Chicken-hawk. Usually singly or in pairs, fre- 
quenting heavily timbered districts, the margins of watercourses, and 
scrub-lands. It is a wary species, dreaded by all the smaller birds ; 
procures its food more by stealth than by chase. The food of this species 
