Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/286

260 came tumbling out of each; they had been tightly coiled up inside, and, when suddenly disturbed by the smashing of the nest, rolled down the sloping foot of the cliff still coiled. Each Snake contained two or three unfortunate Martins. I may mention that one very hot day last summer I went to have my dinner in a large cave in the range. Water drips from the roof, and we have a hole hollowed out below large enough to dip a pannikin in to catch the drip. Seeing no water, I foolishly thrust my hand in the hole, and felt a large Snake. After a great deal of poking it was induced to come out, and was killed. It was nearly five feet in length, and, on being cut open, was found to contain four Chestnut-eared Finches, fallen victims to their insatiable thirst. These little birds frequently build their flimsy grass-nests in the bottom part of larger nests, especially Hawks' and Eagles'.

Shot four Freckled Ducks (Stictonetta nævosa) on July 21st, a species which, as far as I know, has not been recorded from this district. They were fat and remarkably good eating. Plumed Whistling Ducks were in great numbers this year, and I secured specimens of Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) and Pied Goose (Anseranas semipalmata).

On Oct. 24th I found an egg of the Long-billed Stone Plover (Esacus magnirostris) laid on the summit of a high shingly ridge on the beach towards the N.W. Cape. There was no nest whatever. I took the egg (which resembled that of a Caspian Tern in colour and size, but was blunter at the small end), and, watching the bird half an hour later through my binoculars, saw it cautiously return to where it had laid, and seat itself in the empty nesting-site. In a few seconds, however, it seemed to realize its loss, and, rising, ran down the ridge to its mate. A pair or two of these birds are always at that particular spot, where the reef comes in to the beach, which is formed of coarse shingle and shell, with broken surf. I have seen odd birds south of there, but never so far as here. Noted a Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), Oct. 30th, sitting on two fresh eggs in a mallee tree, about ten feet from the ground. The nest was absurdly small and slight. The bird sat motionless in an upright position, in which it looked just like a short broken dead limb, although the buggy passed immediately beneath it. On Dec. 4th the natives brought in a fledgling bird.