THE BIEDS OP AUSTRALIA. 
Barnard, reporting upon the birds of the MacArthur River, Northern 
Territory {Emu^ Vol. XIV., p. 42, 1914) wrote : “ These birds were found 
roosting in the brush during the day. In the nesting-season the female 
remains in the nesting hollow during the day, while the male roosts in the 
branches of a neighbouring tree. He often attracts attention by uttering a 
low growl as a person passes. Tlae female can be flushed from the hollow 
by hitting the butt of the tree with a tomahawk.” 
Prom Cape York, Barnard {Emu, Vol. XI., p. 22, 1911) recorded under 
the name N, 'peninsularis : “ These birds are numerous both in forest and 
in scrub (their note exactly resembling that of Ninox connivens) and were 
breeding freely. Unfortunately, each of the nests found contained a pair 
of young birds, with a single exception, where there was only one nestling. 
When the female is in the hollow, the male roosts in the branches of an 
adjoining tree, and on observing a person passing utters a loud growling 
note, thus drawing attention to the tree containing the nest. On one occasion 
I observed one of these Owls roosting in the branches of a tree and holding 
in its claw a small Pruit Pigeon {L. superba). On being flushed it dropped 
the Pigeon, which appeared to have just been killed. This was the only Owl 
obseiwed, but the note of another species was frequently heard at night — a note 
resembling that of Strix delicatula. These birds breed very early, all the nests 
containing young by the end of September.” 
In the Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 153-4, 1914, MacgiUivray gave a splendid 
account of North Queensland birds, reported upon by Mr. M’Lennan and 
recorded as follows : 
“ Ninox connivens. Winking Owl. This bird was heard calling by Mr. 
M’Lennan at his first camp on the Cloncurry River, and was afterwards 
found to be numerous throughout the GuK country. At Sedan, on 22nd 
Pebruary, 1910, he imitated the call, when the bird flew to a tree at 
the back of his camp, and was shot and skinned. The caU of this bird 
sounded like ‘ Hoo, wuk, wuk,’ uttered in a fairly low key. The iris was 
yellow ; bill black, cere greenish-yellow ; feet light orange. The stomach 
contained grasshoppers and beetles. On the 9th March a pair was shot and 
skinned. The female measured 16 inches and the male 17 inches. The 
stomach contents were the same as in previous specimen. Seven worm-like 
parasites were found under the skin between the eyes, each measuring 
2J inches by 3-3 inch. When camped on the Leichhardt, fourteen miles 
from Caloola Station, Mr. M’Lennan made the following note : ‘ 13th June, 
1910. Heard a most peculiar call about 11 p.m. in the timber about 200 
yards from the camp, so strolled out to investigate and found it was uttered 
by a bird perched on a dry tree. It proved to be a Winking Owl. The 
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