Xiv NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



uaturalist, writes : " He was one of the finest yoiuig fellows it has been 

 my good fortune to meet. Of course, as you are aware, you cannot make 

 social distinctions where all share the common dangei-s and vicissitudes 

 of bush life, but I can most feelingly say I was treated by him more as 

 a brother than a servant." 



A list, with remarks on the Bowyer-Bower collection, by Dr. E. P. 

 Ramsay, is recorded in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, New 

 South Wales (2nd series), vols. i. and ii. (1886-7). 



Possibly no Australian field naturalist spent more time and money 

 ill the pursuit of ornithology than did Mr. Samuel Wliitc, of the Rced- 

 bcds, near Adelaide, South Australia. Yet it is remarkable that 

 Mr. White's name, although he kept very complete diaries, was never 

 famous for research, except as to a few notes with which he supplied 

 Gould. 



His first lengthened trip, occupying seven or eight months, was under- 

 taken in the early sixties. Mr. White had signed an agi-eement to 

 accompany the Burke and Wills Expedition to cross the Continent, but, 

 owing to the quantity of luggage he would need for collecting purposes, 

 a disagreement arose, and Mr- Wliite decided to set out on an expedition 

 himself. So taking a single companion, he started in a. spring dray with 

 two horses and made north to Lake Hope, and beyond towards the Gulf 

 of Carjjentaria country. Great privations were endiu-ed. The horses 

 perished from the want of water, as nearly did their drivers. Conse- 

 quently almost all specimens were abandoned in the interior. The egg 

 of the Spotted (Jardino) Harrier, described by Gould as having been 

 collected at Lake Hope, was one of the few remaining rehcs of the 

 disastrous journey. 



Tlie next trip of adventure was a general collecting tour in Queens- 

 land, 1867, when Mr. White was accompanied by a younger brother, 

 William. They landed at Cleveland Bay (now Townsville), journeying 

 inland towards the Flinders, steering their course with the aid of a map 

 and compass, the former being worse than blank. Here, too, they nearly 

 succiunbed to tliirst, and had given up all hope, when they heaid the call 

 of a Satin Bower Bird, and knew water must be near. Samuel, just able 

 to crawl on his hands and knees, succeeded in finding the precious element, 

 filled the billy, and so revived life. The explorers were then able to 

 make Port Denison for fresh supplies, and proceeding down the coastal 

 region, passed over the Dividing Range (McPherson's) at Mount Lindsay, 

 being the first white men to climb to the topmost pinnacle of the Mount. 



