BLACK-BREASTED BUZZARD’. 
of birds that I took to be Eagles at a dead lamb, but which on nearer 
approach I was surprised to find were Black-breasted Buzzards, no less 
than six of them feeding on a nest of half-a-dozen Emu eggs, all 
broken and all fresh. In the nest — a cushion of dry grass — ^was a round 
stone, the size of a domestic hen’s egg, that I am sure was never put 
there or left there by the Emu. Now, by what means was the news 
of the discovery of that Emu’s nest spread to gather up half-a-dozen 
of what is with us certainly a rare bird ? I would not have thought 
there were that number of the Buzzards within a hundred miles of the 
place. I remember one being shot at Homestead, on the Campaspe River 
(N.Q.), where it had swooped at a flock of WTiistlers {Dendrocygna 
eytoni) that were preening themselves on the banks of a lagoon, and carried 
one off to a neighbouring coolibah, from which it was shot. Buzzard and 
Duck coming to ground together. The gunner was congratulating himseK 
on obtaining two birds with one stone, or rather, shot, when the Duck cleared 
off, seemingly none the worse for its rough experience.” 
Dr. Macgillivray in the Emu^ Vol. XIII., p. 151, 1914, wrote : “From 
the notes made by Mr. McLennan, the Gulf countr3r (Queensland) seems to 
be the headquarters of this fine species. He found them along all the Gulf 
rivers, and more than once noted as many as five females in the air at the 
same time. Several old nests were found in late summer and autumn, but 
were used only as roosting and feeding platforms. The birds evidently nest 
at the same time as in western New South Wales, as early in July on the 
Leichhardt river a bird was flushed from a nest which was newly lined with 
green leaves. They were noted on several occasions at Lockerbie and Paira, 
at Cape York.” 
It would be interesting to have McLennan’s opinion of the differences 
in the sexes, as I note he is reported as observing “ five females in the air 
at the same time.” I make some comments on the supposed differences 
hereafter. 
The story of the Buzzard breaking the eggs of the Emu, given With 
doubt by Gould, was confirmed by Mr. K. H. Bennett in 1881, and then 
by Berney as quoted above. Though Gould appeared sceptical, it does not 
seem a very strange procedure, as it simply is a reversal of the procedure of 
Thrushes with snails and Gulls with bivalve molluscs. These take the object 
up and let it fall upon a stone or hard earth in order to break it. It is then 
not a much more unlikely proceeding for the Buzzard, having tried this and 
found the contents escape, to reverse the procedure and drop the stone on 
the egg. The story of the Buzzard frightening the Emu off by walking up 
to it flapping its wings is the improbable part to me. 
191 
