TAWNY FROGMOUTH. 
be that the different subspecies have different habits and that consequently 
all the observers are right. At the present time all the reports are quite 
contradictory and I think it will be proved that there is variation in their 
habits according to localities. It would be unwise, however, to conclude too 
hastily that such is the case, as in the MaUee subspecies the nest-building 
habit that instigated the investigation of the form (in connection with the 
small size of the eggs) was not confirmed by further observations, but rather 
the reverse. Nevertheless, such items are always worthy of record, as they 
very often suggest solutions which might otherwise be overlooked. 
The Frogmouth has been credited with the call “ Mopoke,” and therefore 
in the Emu (Vol. X., p. 246, 1910) Mattingley gave his experience with a tame 
bird. I incorporate his account : “ Some time ago a gentleman remarked to me 
that he had a Podargus {P. strigoides) which had the feathers of one wing cut off. 
He intended to destroy it because he had grown tired of feeding it, and on 
account of the bird not being able to fly away when liberated. Desiring to save 
the life of the interesting nocturnal bird, I obtained it, and released it in my 
garden at Kew, Victoria. I resolved to feed it until it could fly away and hunt 
for itself. The bird gradually became fairly tame, and readily took pieces of 
meat from my hand. Any stray mice that I captured it ate ravenously. In 
course of time it started its hooting call during the night, and occasionally a 
wild mate, attracted by its nocturne, would make its appearance. These birds 
became so accustomed to my proximity to them that they allowed me to get 
within a few feet of them whilst they were calling. I was enabled thereby 
to observe how the Podargus’ hooting note was produced. With its head 
elevated at an angle of about 30 degrees, with its biU fully closed, and with 
throat distended, the bird pulsates its throat, giving forth a rapid vibrating 
note, sounding at a distance like ‘ Oom-oom-oom-oom-oom,’ but when close 
to the bird the call of a single ‘ oom ’ or hoot I found consists of two 
notes produced not unlike “ Too-roo, too-roo, too-roo,” emitted in an almost 
continuous delivery, ranging from 14 ‘ ooms ’ or hoots to 158 ‘ ooms ’ 
without cessation. From lengthy observations I was able to ascertain that 
the greatest number of notes was produced on moonlight nights, especially 
about eleven o’clock. Sometimes the bird uttered a few hoots during the 
daytime. This occurred more often about 6 p.m. On several occasions I 
timed the duration of the calls, and found them uttered at about six ‘ ooms ’ 
(calls) to the second. As a rule, there is the succession of calls uttered 
by the bird, ranging from two seconds’ to about twenty-seven seconds’ 
duration. The whole series of calls were emitted during the space of about 
three minutes. Generally, the Podargus started its call in subdued tones, 
the full volume of sound being reached after a few hoots. The subdued 
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