54 AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGY. 
nightly, as long as there are any peaches, proximity to a house 
being no security from plunder. In November, 1892, it made great — 
havoc of the orchards near Gilgandra. . 
Where found.—In New South Wales, Victoria, &c., in fact, all 
Australia; flying foxes are very numerous in the dense and 
luxuriant brushes which fringe the south-eastern portion of Aus- © 
tralia, such as those in the Illawarra district, in the neighbourhood — 
of the Hunter, the Manning, the Clarence and the basin of the 
Nepean. They are not found in Tasmania. They fly 50, 60 or 80 
miles in a night, their hiding place often being many miles from the 
orchards which they instinctively scent. They have been seen 
flying over the sea near the coast line from Gosford to Wollongong. 
Dr. Bennett writes :—‘‘In the year 1858 a number of these animals 
were observed suspended from the topmost branches of the lofty 
trees in the Sydney Botanic Gardens, hanging by their hind claws : 
it was an unusual event, as for several years not a specimen had 
been seen in that locality.” On the coast of Moreton Bay the © 
natives live principally on fish, and the arrival of the flying foxes © 
a the little island of St. Helena is hailed by them as a change of 
iet. ; 

Wuitk-BREASTED SEA Eacue—Haliastur leucosternus. 
Description (Brisbane Courier).—It is also called the white- 
breasted eagle, white-breasted falcon, white-breasted rufous eagle, 
rufous sea eagle, sea eagle, and red-backed fish-hawk. The adult 
sexes are alike in colour. ‘The head, neck, chest, and upper part of © 
the abdomen are pure white, and the back, wings, the lower part of 
the abdomen, thighs, the upper surface of the tail, and the upper 
and under tail coverts are ofa rich chestnut red. The first six primary 
feathers are chestnut at the base, tipped with black, and the tail 
feathers are chestnut on their upper surface, lighter beneath, and 
the eight central feathers are tipped with greyish white. The 
irides are of a light reddish yellow, the cere pale yellowish white, 
and the orbits a smoky grey. ‘The bill is of a yellowish horn colour, 
frequently tinted with rose on the culmen. ‘The upper mandible is 
of a light ashy grey hue at the base, passing into sienna yellow, and 
terminating at the tip in a light horn colour, while the under 
mandible is of asmoky grey. The legs and feet are light yellow. 
Length, 22in. ; wing, 15in. ; tail, Qin. ; bill, lin. ; tarsus, 2in. 
Habits.—Its flight when near the ground is slow and heavy, but 
when soaring at a considerable height is buoyant and easy. Its 
food consists chiefly of fish and crustaceans. In capturing its finny 
prey it exhibits great activity either in plunging down into the 
depths and seizing the fish with its claws, or in skimming along 
close to the surface and dexterously throwing out its strongly 
armed foot and seizing the fish as it swims near the top. It 
then flies to some favourite perch, generally a branch overhangin 
the water, where it devours its captive at leisure, or if disturbe 
soars on high and eats it on the wing. 
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