File:A handbook of the birds of Tasmania and its dependencies (1910) (14749620372).jpg

Identifier: handbookofbirdso00litt (find matches)
Title: A handbook of the birds of Tasmania and its dependencies
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Littler, Frank Mervyn
Subjects: Birds -- Australia Tasmania
Publisher: Launceston, Tasmania : F.M. Littler
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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5-15. It will benoted from the above measurements that individuals vary some-what considerably in certain parts. Female.—Similar to male. Young.—Practically no wliite on forehead; brownish spots onunder tail coverts. Nest.—Mr. D. Le Souef (Emu, vol. vii., p. 73) describes thenest, as seen by him under the Kegan Waterfall, in Japan, asbeing large and made of mud, evidently of two or three colouiS,and built on a sloping wall of rock well under cover. The nestis about a foot in depth externally by about 4 inches across on thetop; the cup or egg cavity was evidently shallow, as the sittingbird was well exposed. Ec/gs.—So far as I am aware, they are still \mdescribed. Breeding Season.—(?). Geographical Distribution.—Tasmania and Australia; also Mon-golia, Eastern Siberia^ China, and Japan. Observations.—This projectile of a bird usually first appears inTasmania about the second week in February, opd the last onefor the season about the eiicl of March. I have records, however,
Text Appearing After Image:
NESTING SITE OF SPINE-TAILED SWIFT. Photo, by D. Le Socef. From The Emu. BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 77 of having seen the first bird during the first week in February, andthe last right at the latter end of April. So far as my observationsfor Launceston are concerned, which have extended over a numberof 3-ears, the bird has always come from over the south to south-eastern horizon and disappeared north to north-west. The timesof appearance vary from noon to dusk; the majorit), however,have been well on in the afternoon. Prior to a storm seems to bea favourite time for putting in an appearance. A calm evening witha clear atmosphere is also a favourite condition for this Swift. Thestyle of flight vaiies from a projectile-like speed with a swish,swish of wings, now dashing close to the earth, now soaring highin the air, to a slow circular flight very high in the sky. Thenumber appearing at one time varies from a few individuals toa few hundreds. I am informed that occasionally in the mid-land dis

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