124 Alexander, Notes on Birds Seen on Murray River, [i^f'ort. 



brought tlie parents and the other young ones back to the spot. 

 They flew round, calhng out and spreading out their tails, giving 

 us a fine view of them, until the youngster disentangled itself, 

 when they all flew off together. Capt. White informs me that 

 this species has not previously been met with so far down the 

 river. It seems early for the young ones to be fledged. 



Yellow-throated Miner [Myzantha fiavigula). — Capt. White state 

 that the Black-headed Miner, being much more robust, " seems 

 to keep this bird back from the river timber." In the upper 

 stretches, however, it appeared to be the commoner species in 

 the trees along the river banks, though lower down there is no 

 doubt that the Black-headed ^liner is the more plentiful bird. 



Some Observations by a Bird^lover in the Eastern 

 Mallee Fringe, Victoria. 



Bv A. C. Stone, R.A.O.U., South Y.arra, Victori.\. 



A FRIEND and myself were fortunate in having perfect weather 

 for our trip into the Mallee fringe, and those of us who have had 

 Malice experience know how perfect the weather is sometimes 

 (perhaps as a compensation for some of its imperfections), 

 approximating closely to Egyptian conditions. 



Leaving Lake Boga, we proceeded in a westerly direction, and 

 one of the first nests found was the perfect and beautiful one of 

 that Mallee gem, the Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii). 

 The nest was placed 5 feet high on the fork of a tea-tree in the 

 midst of a dense clump of the same timber. The nest contained 

 three handsomely marked eggs. A few yards further a Black- 

 backed Magpie {Gvmnorhina tibicen) came swooping down, plainly 

 indicating by its movements the nearness of its nest, which was 

 indeed close, but placed high in the branches of a box-tree, and 

 contained fledgelings. The " Shellies " or Warbling Grass-Parrots 

 {Melopsiltaciis iinditlakis) had only recently arrived, but all day 

 long we were within sight of flocks of from 20 to 100. Within a 

 fortnight I received word that they were all busily engaged at 

 their severally selected nesting-sites. The White-browed Babblers 

 (Pomatorhiniis superciliosits) were particularly busy, as usual, 

 building nests that apparently tliey had not the remotest idea of 

 laying in. This habit seems very deep-seated in the nature of 

 the Babblers. One nest we found contained three fresh eggs, 

 very beautifully covered with the thin hair-like lines. Just over 

 a limestone ridge, in some fallen mallee scrub, we found the cosy 

 nest of the Black-backed Wren {Mcilitrits melanohts), containing 

 three young ones nearly ready to leave the nest, and the parent 

 birds fussily objecting to the intruders. Farther on, in similar 

 country, we found another nest of the same species almost com- 

 pleted. Wood-Swallows were ])lentiful, particularly the White- 



