Page:The Emu volume 3.djvu/52

 (acacia) bush, about 8 feet from the ground, in one of the paddocks. The ejected pellets below the nest were composed almost entirely of remains of mice.

(12.) Falco MELANOGENYS (Black-cheeked Falcon, Perg-gee).— This bird was not much observed until the abnormally wet season of 1900, when it was quite common, but became scarce after. No doubt some of them breed in the ranges and coastal cliffs.

(13.) HlERAClDEA ORIENTALIS (Brown Hawk, Kerra-jinga).— The com- monest bird of prey, and a very quarrelsome and noisy one, frequently circling for a considerable time, uttering its querulous cry, hence natives' name, " Kerra-jinga." Before retiring to sleep a pair will always make a great fuss. When native women hear the birds cry, they shake their bosoms, as they have a legend unless they do so they would have no milk after a childbirth. The usual clutch of eggs is three, but occasionally four are laid, and once five were found in a nest. The eggs have been noted between 28th June and 1st September. The nest is usually in a tree, but one was found containing three eggs (28th July, 1893) placed in the broken top of a large white ant-hill on the coast. All the birds seen in the district had dark chocolate breasts.

(14.) HlERAClDEA BERIGORA (Striped Brown Hawk).— This species may be considered rare, as only two birds were shot.

(15.) CERCHNEIS CENCHROIDES (Kestrel). — This is a very common bird, and breeds in hollow gum spouts, ledges of coast cliffs, and on the ranges. As a rule there is no nest whatever, but occasionally the eggs are laid in an old nest of the Crow. It is not at all unusual to find Kestrels laying in the broken summits of ant-hills. The clutch is three to five eggs and apparently two broods are reared during a season. Eggs have been found from 10th August to 1st November. The birds are crepuscular, and a pair that took up their quarters at the shearing shed was often watched catching beetles, &c, until it was quite dark.

(16.) PANDION LEUCOCEPHALUS (Osprey, Weel-bra).— This beautiful and interesting bird was common, and every year twelve to fourteen pairs laid in the vicinity. The nests were usually in places quite easy of access — on the edge of a cliff where one could walk up to the nest and look in, or on a rock above high water mark, and sometimes on the flat, open salt marshes. Some nests seen on the Exmouth Gulf were high up in white gums, but only one was seen which was built among such thin twigs as to be inaccessible by climbing. The mangroves were also very favourite nesting sites. One nest, built in the top of a mangrove about 30 feet high, in course of years became so bulky by constant adding to that the wind eventually blew the tree down. The tallest nest seen was on a large log on the beach. Standing on tiptoe on the log I could just see over the edge of the nest, which was slightly more than 5 ft. 6 in. in height. The nesting season commences very regularly early in July. Eggs have been noted from 25th June to 3rd September. Two or three is the usual clutch, but four were twice found. I have never seen the birds attempt to attack anyone visiting the nest. They fly overhead, uttering a plaintive whistle. Many an hour has been spent watching them fishing, and I must plead guilty to having been mean enough on more than one occasion, when very hungry, of frightening the bird from a fine fish in order to enjoy it myself. On one occasion an Osprey dropped in a mangrove creek within a few yards of me and caught a good-sized fish in each talon. On the other hand, they frequently miss their prey.

(17.) NlNOX OCELLATA (Marbled Owl). — This is a winter visitor, and