BLACK-CHEEKED FALCON. 
take them to the branch of a tree or on the ground to devour their meal. 
In May, 1909, a neighbour shot a Falcon which had seized a full-grown fowl 
and was tearing it to pieces. I have also witnessed it strike a full-grown 
fowl down, also Black Duck, and one day saw one chase a Black- Cockatoo, 
which it appeared to attack from pure mischief, returning to the charge 
several times, but it did not succeed in killing the Cockatoo. They prey 
a good deal on the Blue Mountain Lorikeet {Trichoglossus novcehollandice), 
which seems to lose all power when confronted by one of these birds ; this 
Lorikeet does not seem to employ its powers of flight to avoid the Falcon 
as it might do. The Bosella {Platycercus eximius) makes a much better fight 
for its life, also the Magpie Lark {Orallina 'picata), for although not quick 
flying birds they are expert dodgers. I saw a Black-cheeked Falcon chase a 
single Black Duck within ten yards of me. I fired at the Duck, and shot 
just behind it, the Falcon being about six feet behind ; another second and 
he would have had him. The Black-cheeked Falcon constructs no nest what- 
ever, but makes a light depression in the sand and crumbling debris on the 
shelves of rocks. In the year 1896 I robbed one pair of birds three times, 
viz., three eggs on the 16th August, three eggs on the 13th September, and 
two eggs on the 14th October. My aboriginal collector told me they reared 
young ones in the same place often ; when robbed they usually remove from 
one shelf of rocks to another. Their home here is in the mountainous districts 
and the nesting-place is guarded by precipitous rocky walls, utterly forbidding, 
in almost every case, access by man from below, and not always to be reached 
safely from above, even with rope ladders. Upon one occasion the Falcons 
knocked the hat from the head of an aboriginal, making repeated swoops 
and charges when he was taking their eggs, screeching out loudly the while. 
One of us generally sat on top and kept waving sticks and handkerchiefs to 
keep them away. It is with regret I add that these noble birds have been 
almost entirely exterminated in these districts. They were such daring and 
constant visitors to the poultry yards, that they were easily shot ; however, 
I visit their old nesting-places every year in the hopes of others coming and 
occupying their solitary homes.” Dr. W. Macgillivray added: Falco 
melanogenys is sparingly found throughout the whole district, preying mostly 
on birds of various kinds, from Ducks to Budgerigars, all killed on the wing, 
as is the manner of Falcons in general, by a lightning-like swoop and blow 
with the hind claw. This and the little Grey Falcon are a great trouble to the 
professional bird-catcher, as they continually take his caU birds, and he often 
nets the Falcons and kills them. I have no note of the nesting of this 
Falcon, though I have had young birds not long from the nest brought to 
me by a bird-catcher. Mr. W. McLennan, when at Casterton, Victoria, went 
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