122 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



At Coolabah I learned that the district was suffering from 

 the effects of a drought, in fact it was evident some time 

 before reaching it, but not nearly so pronounced as in 1914. 

 On each side of the railway line, particulai-Iy on the stock 

 route, the trees appeared to be growing in a desert of red 

 sandy soil, not a blade of natural grass being visible any- 

 wlieie. At the Government Tank on the Girilambone side of 

 the railway line, with the exception of the Rose-breasted 

 Cockatoo (Cacatua roseicajyiUa), Barnard's Parrakeet (Barnar- 

 dins huru(irdi), and the Yellow- throated Miner (Myzantka 

 Havignla) I saw no birds worthy of note that could not be 

 found in the neighbourhood of Sydney. On the way up a 

 flock of the introduced Starling (Stvrnns vnlyaris) was 

 noted as far west as Trangie, three Emus (Dronicens iiovce- 

 hoUandice) were observed about two hundred yards from the 

 lailway line shortly after passing Grahweed, and it is almost 

 Tieedless to add that the acclimatised House Sparrow (Fasser 

 domesticus) was seen nearly everywhere, about station build- 

 ings, goods sheds, and stables, etc. 



On the morning following my arrival 1 went into a Wilga 

 scrub immediatel}^ at the rear of the hotel hut saw very few 

 birds, being out three-quartei's of an hour before getting a 

 shot. Visiting a dam I was told of, about a mile and a half 

 from the railway station, and whei-e late in the afternoon one 

 would naturally ex])ect to find birds coming to drink, I was 

 surprised to meet with only three common species — the Mag- 

 pie-Lark (Grcdlina piccUa), the Black and White Fantail 

 (Sauloprocta melaleuca), more popularly known as the "Willy- 

 Wagtail," and the Yellow-throated Miner (Mijzantha flavigtda) . 



On Monday, the 11th October, official duties necessitating 

 Fii'st-class Constable W. C. Wrightson visiting Bundong, the 

 residence of Mr. Victor Hall, about fifteen miles from Coolabah, 

 lie invited me to go with him. This necessitated our driving 

 through Willeroon Station, where there was a mai'ked improve- 

 ment in the appearance of the country and where several 

 species of birds were obtained, or noted, that were not met 

 with at Coolabah ; among the latter, three Emus (Droniceus 

 aovce-hollandife) which were disturbed from some bushes as 

 we drove slowly past. At Bundong Homestead we were kindly 

 received by Mr. V. B. Hall, Junr., and his Mother. 



