File:A handbook of the birds of Tasmania and its dependencies (1910) (14749621082).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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A somewhat frail platform of twigs, with a few fine root-lets and pieces of grass. Usually placed in the fork of a horizontallimb of a tree in open forest country. Eggs.âClutch two usually; elliptical in shape; a little coarsein texture; surface somewhat glossy and very minutely pitted;colom* white. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch:â(1) 48 x 34, (2)47 X 38.5. Breeding Season.âSeptember to December. Geographical Distribution.âTasinania, New South Wales, Vic-toria, South Australia, and Queensland. Observations.âFor some unknown reason this bird is generallycredited with uttering the cry that has been translated into thewords More Pork, on which account the bird is often knownunder the names of More Pork, Mopoke, or Mope-hawk.But, as I have already pointed out, it is the Spotted Owl (Ninoxmacidata) that utters the weird cry. This can easily be verified byanyone who takes the trouble. The Tawny Frogmouth is distri-buted over nearly the whole of the island. In some districts it is
Text Appearing After Image:
FROGMOUTH BY NEST WITH YOUNG.Photo, by J. Sears. From The Emu. BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 79 faiily common, but not so in others. It is animated only duringthe night, at which time it salUes forth on noiseless wings andfeeds on moths and other nocturnal insects. During the day itsits in an upright attitude on the dead limb of a tree. The bird isa wonderful example of protective mimicry. The reason that adead, weather-beaten limb is selected is on account of the colourof the bough, as imitating very closely the prevailing colour of thebird. It matches so exactly that in broad daylight Hawks andother enemies, including man, pass the bird by as being only partof the tree. As a rule it sits close in to where the limb springsfrom the main stem. Occasionally, however, I have seen it sittingfully exposed on a bough. The whole day is passed in a state ofapparent slumber. When disturbed it will fly a short distance,then perch and go to sleep, as though nothing had happened. Butas soon as the shades of

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