THE BIRDS OF COOLABAH AND BRKWARRINA, 



NORTH-WESTERN NEW SOUTH WALES, 



By 



Alfred J. Nokth, C. M. B. O. U., C. M. Z. S., 



Ornithologist to the Australian Museum. 



The following notes were made at Coolabah, between the 

 5th and 14th of October, 1915, and those at Brewarrina be- 

 tween the 15th and 22nd of the same month. 



Ascertaining last October from a twenty-five j^ears' resident 

 of North-western New South Wales, that the weather condi- 

 tions in that part of the State were apparently favourable for 

 a collecting tour, I determined to spend my annual leave for 

 1915, as far as possible, equally at Coolabah and Brewarrina. 

 Coolabah, on the main western line, four hundred and twenty- 

 nine miles north-west of Sydney, is situate in the I'ed soil 

 country, having no natural watercourse, or permanent water, 

 if we except a small gilguy or soak here and there, but which 

 had entirely dried up at the time of my visit, the residents be- 

 ing dependent upon artificially formed tanks and dams for 

 their storage of water. 



The principal flora of the open forest lands of Coolabah 

 put me very much in mind of that of the country around 

 Moree in Northern Central New South Wales, the gum 

 (Eucalyptus) and Apple (A)iyopliora) predominating, and in the 

 scrubs, the Wilga (Geigera parvi flora) and pines (Callitris, sp.). 



For some time prior to reaching Coolabah, the shapely Sour 

 Plum or " Colane " of Western New South Wales, or "Grouie " 

 (Owenia acidula) of the Moree District, were much in evidence, 

 resembling as one passed them in the train, the sj'mmetiical 

 artificial trees, found in a child's " Noah's Ark," and not unlike 

 the introduced Pepper plant (Schhius molle) common through- 

 out the inland portions of Australia, but usually more squat 

 in appearance. I did not observe Oicenia acidula either at 

 Coolabah or Brewarrina, but at both places was informed that 

 it occurred in the neighbourhood. 



