Voi. xxiv.i 
1924 J 
Stray Feathers 
153 
Land Birds Visiting Lord Howe Island. —Lord Howe Island 
is a small speck on the ocean, four days' sail from Sydney, and 
yet it has been reached by certain of our land birds not noted 
as migrants, or specially gifted with sustained powers of flight. 
It is probable that these birds, caught by a westerly gale, find 
themselves over the water, and simply keep flying for several 
days, until this resting place comes in sight. If this is so, it 
illustrates that the wind is a factor in the distribution of birds, 
of which the well-known invasion of New Zealand by the Silver- 
eye ( Zoster ops lateralis) is a case in point. Messrs. P. Dignum 
and R. Wilson, residents of Lord Howe Island, now on a visit 
to Sydney, have supplied interesting records of Australian birds 
being seen on the island recently. They state that these birds 
generally appear after a heavy blow. The list of birds is:— 
Eastern Swamp-hen, or Bald Coot ( Porphyrio melanotns), one 
bird; White-fronted Heron ( Notophoyx novce-hollandice) , one 
bird; Welcome Swallow ( Hirundo neoxena), several occasions; 
Magpie Lark ( Grallina cyanoleuca) , two birds; Mistletoe Bird 
( Dicceum hirundinaceum) ; Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike ( Gran - 
calus novce-hollandice ), two birds; Black and White Fantail 
( Rhipidura leucophrys), two birds; European Starling ( Sturnns 
vulgaris ), in flocks of from 50 to 60 birds. Mr. Dignum states 
that none of the birds stayed for long, with the exception of the 
Fantail and Mistletoe Bird, and these unfortunately were col¬ 
lected for an English ornithologist.—A. S. LE Souee, C.M.Z.S., 
Taronga Park, Sydney. 
* * * 
Pallid Cuckoo in May,— On 30th May this year I saw a 
Pallid Cuckoo near the homestead on “Roseneath.” The bird 
uttered the single note call two or three times as it flew away.— 
C. E. Simson, R.A.O.U., “Roseneath,” Casterton, Vic. 
* * * 
The Moult of the Blue Wren. — In The Emu, Vol. XXIII., 
I published a few notes on the moult of the Superb Blue Wren 
(Malurus cyaneus). These notes were incomplete owing to my 
absence from home. This year I have attempted to fill in the 
missing record of the moult. On the 28th January, the male 
bird in full plumage, together with the female and three young 
were always to be seen in my garden. This continued right up 
to the 10th of February, when the male had a slightly ragged 
appearance. From this on to 14th the male gradually became 
more untidy, grey feathers appearing amongst the blue; on the 
15th few blue feathers were noted on the body, but the tail 
feathers had the bluish colouring. The male now began to 
keep more to the shelter of shrubs, creepers, etc., seldom joining 
his family; but he always came out under the sprinkler when I 
started it first thing in the morning. This spray the whole family 
thoroughly enjoyed, warbling and running about under the water 
shower to their hearts' content. By March 1st the male had lost 
all colour, and had joined his family. March 20th.—The family 
