BIRDS - NEW CALEDONIA L. Macmillan Page 59 Wailu Area: River valley bottom, river margin scrub flat. 20 ft. a.s.l. Wednesday, 17th May, 1939. Weather: Dull over cast, showers off and on, light drissel most of the time, light variable winds, Clouds 100%. Habitat: Native taru gardens and coffee plantations on river margin, heathland hillsides. Birds: Two types of area much the same as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary was seen. Porphyrio: Two were seen in the dense taru gardens, impossible to get a shot but some may be collected in the area. Saw where a native had left an old scare-crow (old white dress) which seemed to be efficient in scaring them off young recently planted cane. Haliastur: One shot but did not drop till too far away for finding. Accipiter: One male was seen in the usual slinking quiet way hunting through these gardens. Megalurulus: It was noticable that this species seemed to be absent in the very wet vegetation of the gardens though it was ideal habitat for them. Numbers were heard in the dryer grasslands just on the hillside above the gardens. All birds were very spasmodic in their activity this morning. Generally speaking there was little general activity till well on in the morning. Sk. No. 49A. Accipiter fas. vig. Accipiter fas, vig.: Male Ad., 1/1, white, (L.T. 20x11mm. R.T.22x12mm. Tot. Wght. 2.15gm.) Soft Parts; Iris, yellow; Bill, blue & black horn. Cere, greenish yellow; L&F. yellow. SHOT: 10:15 a.m. WGHT: 280 gms. Fat. SKL: CO STM: 1/4 grasshoppers. MOULT: Body: powder down, upper M. under C. ABR: Very mixed in wing and tail, ranging in individual feathers from much to very slight.