330 NESTS AND tCOS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



271. — Climacteris melanonota, Gould. — (369) 

 BLACK-BACKED TREE CREEPER. 



Figure— GoxAA : Birds of Australia, fol., vol, iv., pi. <jG. 

 Re/cycnce. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. viii., ]>. 334. 



Gf-oyrwphical Distrihu'tion. — Northern Territory and Nortli Queens- 

 land. 



Nest and Eijys. — Undescribed. 



Observations. — This dark-coated northern Tree-creeper is connected 

 witli a dark and tragic history, and dearly would I like to be able to 

 describe its eggs and possess them. 



Gould, referring to the Black-backed Tree Creeper, records : " For 

 this additional species of the limited genus, Climacteris, a form confined 

 to Australia, we are indebted to Dr. Leiclihardt's Expedition from 

 Moreton Bay to Port Essington. It was killed in latitude 15°57, south, 

 on the eastern side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and is rendered particu- 

 larly interesting to me as being one of the birds prociu-ed by poor Gilbert 

 on the day of his lamented death, the 28th June, 1845, which untoward 

 event prevented him from recording any pai-ticulars respecting it." 



During Leiclihardt's great exploring exploit, it is stated that 

 mismanagement was the means of bringing the party into serious 

 trouble, and that at the end of June they were in the midst of 

 broad plains, which it was easy to see were occupied by natives. As 

 a cold wind was blowing one evening they saved themselves the trouble 

 of raising a breakwind in the open, and pitched their camp in a dense 

 thicket, setting, as usual, no watch, because, as Leichhardt believed, the 

 natives would hurt nobody who had done them no hai-m. They ate 

 their supper and enjoyed a chat round the fire, Gilbei-t telling some of 

 his travelling adventures, while the two blacks made the night merry 

 with comic songs picked vip from the white men of the settlements. 

 Then they retired to rest and all was quiet, when suddenly a shower of 

 speai-s whizzed in from evei-y side. The assailants were invisible in the 

 scrub, and no guns were left at hand. Leichhardt and the two blacks 

 were sleeping in the open air ; they fumbled in the darkness and found 

 a couple of muskets, but no caps were to be had. While Leichhardt was 

 groping for the caps, Gilbert came crawling out through the tent door, 

 and received a spear in the neck. The wound was immediately fatal. 

 The others then crept out with guns ready, but ere the first shot could be 

 fired another volley of spears was received. Six, all barbed, entered 

 the body of Roper, and two pierced the limbs of Calvert. Then the 

 blacks rushed in to finish with their clubs the work of massacre. Roper 

 received a stunning blow on the head, and Calvert three smashing strokes 

 of a waddy ; then one of the party, named Murphy, succeeded in firing 

 the first musket shot. A native dropped ; liis companions stood for a 

 moment as if stupefied ; then, car-rying off their wounded comrade, they 

 disappeared. 



