WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE (EAGLE-HAWK). 
opossums, probably from the bodies of those snared by trappers and thrown 
away, as these eagles certainly don’t catch food at night.” 
As noted above, it is possible that North-western birds are smaller than 
those from the South-west, to which I gave the name carteri, though from 
Keartland’s note, given below, they share the dark coloration. 
MiUigan, writing about West Australian birds [Emu, Vol. II., p. 70, 1902), 
states : “ First trip. — ^These were observed frequently soaring and circling 
at great heights. An old nest was seen at Cowaramup Brook. Second trip. 
— Whilst walking through the peppermint belt I disturbed one in repose. 
By the iron-black plumage I took him to be a male adult. The aboriginal 
name is ‘ Walgil.’ ” 
Whitlock, on the birds of the Pilbarra Goldfield, West Australia, wrote 
{Emu, Vol. VIII., p. 176, 1909) : “ Uncommon ; a pair or two seen haunting 
the most secluded ranges of the upper Coongan Valley. Deported to be 
more numerous on the Upper de Grey. I visited one nesting-site and found 
two old nests, and the wreck of a female or a young bird below, the more 
recent. The most remarkable fact about these nests is that in each case I 
could touch the bottom of the structure with the barrel of my gun without 
climbing a foot. In each case small gum-trees had been chosen, though 
there were plenty of larger trees up the guUy.” 
Crossmann, also about West Australian birds, in the Emu, Vol. IX., p. 86, 
1909, noted : “ This Eagle is unfortunately of frequent occurrence during the 
lambing season, and does a great deal of damage. They undoubtedly nest 
in the district, though I never actually found a nest. Poison gets rid of them, 
but they seem to require a strong dose of strychnine. One I killed measmed 
over 6 feet across the wings.” 
Keartland, writing of the birds of North-west Austraha in the Trans. 
Roy. Soc. S.A., Vol. XXII., p. 166, 1898, recorded : “ Although in other 
parts of Australia these Eagles are found of various shades of colour, from 
very light brown to nearly black, I never saw a light-coloured one 
throughout our journey. In crossing the desert they were frequently seen 
pursuing the little wallabies, so common on the sandhills. They generally 
hunted in couples. Soaring overhead, until their keen eyes detected their 
victim, they descended with unerring aim upon it. Several of their nests 
were seen in the desert gums on the sandhills,' not more than twenty feet 
from the ground.” 
115 
