BLACK-BREASTED BUZZARD. 
In former yeare examples could be seen on any day, and the nests were to 
be frequently found. Now months may elapse without a solitary individual 
being seen^ while for a radius of fifty miles I do not know of an occupied 
nest. I am of opinion their decrease is due to increase of population in this 
part of the country, not that the birds have been destroyed, for they are 
exceedingly shy and wary and most difficult to shoot, but being so shy they 
evidently retreat from the presence of man ; another cause is the rapid 
demolition of timber consequent upon increased population. Timber never was 
plentiful here, being chiefly in the shape of small clumps of a few acres in 
extent, dotted in long and irregular intervals (often miles between) over the 
plains. These clumps were the places in which their nests were constructed, 
and as a rule not more than two or three of the trees in any of the clumps 
were suitable for the construction of these huge nests, the generality of the 
trees being too small and the branches too weak to sustain the weight. As 
a natural consequence, the larger trees were the first to fall before the selector’s 
axe, as affording the largest quantity of timber or firewood, and the birds 
had, therefore, another reason for betaking themselves to more secluded 
localities. The favourite resort of this species is undoubtedly open country, 
such as before mentioned, for, some fifty or sixty miles to the northward, 
heavily timbered country commences, extending for over one hundred miles, 
with thousands of trees suitable for the construction of their nests : yet it is 
only a passing straggler that is ever seen there, and I have never known or 
heard of an instance of their breeding in that locality.’ ” 
Dr. MacgiHivray’s notes are also worth repeating : “ Gypoictinia 
melanosternon is a rare bird here. During nearly nine years’ residence, and 
a good deal of wandering through the scrubs and along the creeks of the 
district, I have only come across two pairs of these birds, and until 1909 
had found only one nesting-place. My notes must necessarily deal mostly 
with one pair of birds. In 1907 Mr. McLellan and I, with some others, 
on our return journey from Langawirra, camped on Yalcowinna Creek, 
about thirty-five miles from Broken Hill. Early next morning, 9th 
September, we proceeded to investigate the nesting along the creek ; 
cutting off a large bend to leave a portion near the camp, we struck the 
creek where a Cockatoo (Cacatua sanguinea), flying from a hole forty feet 
up in a tall Gum, attracted our attention to a large nest in the same tree, 
on which a bird was seen to be sitting. It was a very windy morning 
and the bird sat very closely ; sticks and stones were thrown up, but she 
did not move until a shot was fired in the air from the specimen gun, when 
a magnificent female of the Black-breasted Buzzard left the nest, but kept 
soaring round and round at a respectful distance. Seen from below she was 
VOL. V. 
193 
