THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
{Haliastur sphenurus). Nests may be found wherever the timber is tall 
enough to suit them, and many have been found near the town. The 
nesting season starts about August : young birds were noted on 27th October, 
and on the same date a nest was examained which proved to be nicely lined 
and ready for eggs. These birds frequently use their old nests as ‘feeding 
tables ’ ; on several occasions, after a laborious climb to a nest on which 
a bird had been observed sitting, it was found to be quite flattened out, 
and on it were remains of food, such as snakes, fish, etc., which the bird 
had left there.” 
Mr. Tom Carter has Avritten me : “ The Whisthng Eagle is a common 
species in the Mid-west, but is much rarer in the South-west. I do not 
recoUect seeing any south of the Swan River. They are usuaUy wary and 
difficult to shoot, soaring in circles at a considerable elevation above inland 
fresh-water lakes and pools. They haunt the vicinity of water, to prey 
upon Ducks and other water-fowl. When at a large fresh-water pool near 
the Minilya River (Mid-west), Sept. 8, 1911, I shot three White-headed 
Stilts. Two were dead and one winged only. I laid down my gun and 
was taking off my boots and socks preparatory to retrieving the birds, 
when a Wliistling Eagle swooped down, about 40 yards from me, and 
momentarily dropping its legs, daintily picked up one of the dead birds 
in an instant without rippling the water. The thing was done so quicklv 
I did not realise what had happened, until I saw that one of the dead 
birds was gone. I then waded in, and picked up the other dead bird, 
but the winged one swam into deeper water, so that I could not reach it, 
so shot it again, killed it, and saw it drift to the other side of the pool with 
a strong wind that was blowing. I then walked round the end of the 
pool to secure it, but before I reached it another Whistling Eagle seized 
and took it away too. This species usually lays two eggs in a bulky nest 
in a main fork of a large tree. I only once noticed 3 eggs in a nest. 
The nesting cavity is usuaUy lined with fresh leaves from the tree, in 
which is the nest, usually a white Gum in the Mid-west. July 18-22, 1900. 
Found three nests: one contained two fresh eggs, another two incubated 
eggs, and the third yoimg in down. July 14, 1901. Nest with two 
incubated eggs. When climbing to one of the above nests a pair of 
Graucalus melanops (Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes) made a great fuss about 
my head, scolding me loudly. Upon reaching the eagle’s nest I looked 
down into the lower branches of the tree, and saw the nest of the 
Graucalus containing three eggs. As usual, it was a frail structure, and 
being built on the top of a fork in a branch, was quite invisible from 
beneath it.” 
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