Page:The Emu volume 3.djvu/131

 had been caught in an ordinary rabbit trap, but fortunately without having its leg broken. It was kept fastened up by a tiny chain for several weeks, and fed with rabbit flesh. It was released and flew away. A few nights afterwards a strange "tapping" was heard at the door, and when the latter was opened in flew an Owl, which went straight to its old corner and looked inquiringly round. Meat was given to it, which it ate, and when finished made no attempt to go away, but roosted in the chimney. For days.it stayed about, and was eventually put on its chain again, for safety from idle shooters. The pretty little Owlet Nightjar (Ægotheles novæ-hollandiæ) I have not seen about, but know it is to be found amongst our hills, as the cat once brought in a beautiful specimen.

At frequent times throughout the year the Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) are about in flocks of from eight to twenty. They do not appear to nest in this more open locality, but evidently in the ranges to the south and west of us. They are noisy birds, and work most vigorously at the stringybark trees after the white grubs of which they are so fond. The birds tear the bark down and leave it hanging in strips, and the trees present a most curious appearance. What powerful beaks these birds have! The grinding noise they make can be heard for a considerable distance. Occasionally a couple of White Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) will spend a few days in this neighbourhood. Their coming generally causes a commotion in the Magpie (Gymnorhina) world, and the latter birds spend a good deal of their time chasing the white visitors. Two members of the Parrot tribe are with us all the year round—the pretty Yellow-bellied Parrakeet (Platycercus flaviventris) and the ordinary Rosella (P. eximius). The former, with its pretty whistling call, is to be seen and heard on every hillside, particularly amongst saplings.. On the cultivated and grassy lands the Rosellas are plentiful. They are very fond of pulling off the young buds of the fruit trees.

On the sapling rises and in the dogwood scrubs the Bronze-wing Pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera) is to be both seen and heard, though in small numbers. In the afternoon, and sometimes on moonlight evenings, they may be heard calling. In the deeper gullies the shy Brush Bronze-wing (P. elegans) may occasionally be flushed from a bush or tree. The wild pepper berries are great favourites with these, as also with the Jays or Black Crow-Shrikes.

Amongst the grain fields the Stubble Quail (Coturnix pectoralis) is always to be found. It is a pity such numbers of their eggs are destroyed during harvesting operations. During February there are lots of nests containing eggs to be found, and the latest date in a year I have observed their eggs was about 16th April. The bird was sitting on seven eggs, which appeared within a few days of being hatched. On the flats near the River Forth and in swampy situations near the creeks the Brown or Swamp