THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
sharp claws aimed at it. The whole performance can be seen very plainly, 
owing to the length of leg possessed by this genus.” 
D’Ombrain {Emu, Vol. IV., p. 125, 1905) noted in Victoria : “ Very 
plentiful, often breeding in the middle of a crop. Commence breeding in 
September. Clutch generally three, occasionally five. In season 1899 five 
eggs were taken by myself from a large isolated clump of rushes in a swamp. 
The young are most vicious. They will eat anything. Of two I had last 
season, the female killed her brother and gorged herself with his body. 
They have regular ‘ stand-up ’ fights, striking out fiercely with their 
sharp talons.” 
Berney observed that in North Queensland {Emu, Vol. V., p. 15, 1905) 
it was “ much less frequently seen than its spotted relative, and always 
about bulrush beds.” 
Miss Fletcher, from Tasmania, gave the following note {Emu, Vol. VIII., 
p. 80, 1908) ; “ Circling over the swamps and the adjacent bracken-covered 
slopes are always to be seen pairs of the Swamp-Harrier {Circus gouldi). 
The children about call these birds ‘ Free-wheelers,’ which is indeed a 
descriptive name. These Harriers nest in this district. Five eggs were found 
in a nest last November, and the season before nine eggs were reported 
as occurring in a nest. I fancy in this case that the eggs of a previous 
clutch must have proved infertile, and the birds had rebuilt over them.” 
In the next volume Miss Fletcher added a most interesting account 
(p. 80, 1909) : “ The Harrier, being a frequenter of both lagoons and wooded 
rises, forms an appropriate bridge between the swamp and land birds. Until 
studying these birds here I had no idea they were so aggressive and such 
unfortunate neighbours for the smaller birds to have. Owing to many of 
the smaller lagoons drying up, these predatory birds were confined to 
the larger sheets of water and adjacent scrubby rises, consequently many 
fierce battles were waged. One evening I watched one of these Harriers 
endeavouring to catch a Ground-Lark {Anthus australis). Afraid of losing his 
prey, the pursuer called to his mate, who quickly appeared, and together they 
dashed after the Lark. This poor little creature rose higher and higher, 
endeavouring to escape its persecutors, and its cries of distress could plainly 
be heard, even when it was so high up that it appeared but a speck. It 
eventually got away by flying against the wind, in which direction it seemed 
to quickly gain upon the Hawks. These latter were greatly disconcerted at 
the loss of their quarry. They circled round and round, up and down, calling 
to one another, and were apparently completely nonplussed at their failure. 
These Harriers appear to have regular feeding-places, or ‘ tables,^ and when 
food is captured retire to them to devour it. Sometimes the ‘ tables are 
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