RED WATTLE-BIRD. 
Mr. J. W. Mellor’s notes agree in almost every detail. 
Mr. H. Stuart Dove has sent the following important note: “ Large 
numbers of this handsome species frequent the vicinity of Lakes Entrance 
durmg autumn and %vinter to feed upon the nectar from blooms of Giant 
Banksia {B. serrata), very plentiful here, as well as the ordinary Coast Banksia. 
A good number remained to breed, the favourite spot being a cliunp of mistletoe 
(Loranthus) in Box (Eucalyptus) trees. Four out of five nests we examined 
were m this ; continuous observations were made on two, the first situated 
in a small clump of stiff leaved Loranthus on bunch of ‘ Box ’ about 25 feet 
from ground ; made of twigs, lined with fibres of stringy bark on wliich was 
placed sheep’s wool; one egg on 13th Oct., 1910, second egg on 14th, both 
of a salmon-buff, mth chestnut markings. Bird sitting on 15th Oct., young 
hatched on 30th Oct., giving fifteen days' incubation ; young sparsely covered 
with blackish down, long tufts on heads ; the eyes were wide open on 7th Nov., 
bodies and head covered with long dark down, wing quills developing w^ell. 
On 9th Nov. they stOl had some down at ten days old, although plumage 
developing weU. When camera was taken up tree, parents became -wildly 
excited, dashing furiously from tree to tree -with harsh grating cries, the female 
sometimes ‘ shamming wnunded ’ hke the YeUow Robin and fiultering along 
the grovmd in the endeavour to Im'e us aw'ay. This trait in the Wattle-Bird 
w'as new to me. On 13th Nov. they had streaked fight and dark grey plumage, 
much like adults, a little down still showing through; one left nest and sailed 
to groimd when touched, and next day they finally left nest, gi-vuig fifteen days 
fledging. In the second nest on 3rd Nov. the young were hatched, ha-ving 
reddish skin, sparsely covered with dark grey do-wn, and tufts on heads. On 
10th Nov. then* eyes were open, long dark down on head and back, Aving 
quills sprouting; one wliich I took to be the male had a large reddish bill, 
the other a smaller yellow biU. They had left nest on 17th Nov., thus giving 
fourteen days fledgingy but the extreme warmth of the pre-vious day and the 
heat of the thick wool fining probably hastened their departure by a day.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian has -written me: “ This bird is rare in this district 
but is common in the soutli, especially near the coast, where they frequent the 
Coast Honeysuckles, but are often bullied out of the trees by Meliornis 
novcehollandice. They are highly esteemed as game. They are very noisy birds 
and have a peculiar note which sounds like ‘ Black-cock-gua ’ said very quickly 
several times. It is indeed peculiar to see one perched up in a tree maldng 
his notes and looking extremely as though he were not well.” 
iVIr. F. E. Howe wrote: “ The loud harsh call is frequently heard and 
the bird seems fairly plentiful. It is very local in its habits and nests in the 
same locality time after time. On the 8th October, 1905, a nest containing 
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