Vol. XVIII 



1919 



J Jackson, Haunts of the Letter-winged Kite. i6q 



species, and specimens were secured. A beautiful adult male 

 measures in mm. : — Total length 130, wing 48, tarsus 18, tail 63, bill 

 13.5. (Testes small.) Legs and feet dark brown; bill black; eyes 

 blackish. Beetle remains found in birds. Note resembles that of 

 M. lamberti, fairly common about Sydney. 



Rhipidura (motacilloides) tricolor. Black-and-White Fantail. — ^A 

 few pairs of these happy little birds were always about our camp 

 snapping up the small Barcoo flies. I was informed that the 

 aborigines destroy these birds when they can, on account of a super- 

 stition that they are an evil medium responsible for carrying tales 

 and making mischief among the gins. 



Eupodotis australis. Bustard or Plain-Turkey. — These birds were 

 very numerous, and were a common sight, as many as 10 to 30 often 

 seen in one lot. 



Lie metis nasica. Corella or Long-billed Cockatoo. — Plentiful ; great 

 flocks of them sometimes settled on the coolabah trees at the camp. 

 Often a large flock would fly overhead, with a few specimens of 

 Cacatua roseicapilla among them. 



Cacatua roseicapilla. Rose-breasted Cockatoo. — These birds were 

 frequently seen in flocks of thousands, all feeding on grass roots and 

 seed on the ground. When they rose it was a wonderful sight, and 

 the uproar from their screeching fearful. 



Black Cockatoos were frequently seen on the ground feeding, but 

 we did not succeed in procuring a specimen, so I am not sure of the 

 species. 



Melopsittacus undulatus. Warbling Grass-Parrakeet. — These lovely 

 little birds were not only met with in flocks, but in real clouds of 

 many thousands — a sight that must be witnessed to be in any way 

 appreciated. 



Calopsittacus novae-hollandiae. Cockatoo-Parrakeet. — Met with in 

 flocks, but never more than about a few hundreds at a time. 



Taeniopygia castanotis. Chestnut-eared Finch. — Very plentiful, and 

 travel about in flocks. Many of their nests were found built into 

 the twigs and sticks on the outside of various Kites' and Eagles' nests. 



Myzantha flavigula. Yellow-throated Miner. — Common, and very 

 noisy. One note uttered by this bird resembles a peculiar cat-like 

 sound, " Mew-mew-mew," rendered rather slowly. They were always 

 about the camp. 



Pardalotus rubricatus. Red-lored Pardalote. — Common, and usually 

 met with in pairs. Their note is the most remarkable of all the 

 Pardalotes that I have met with. The call consists of six notes (some- 

 times four), uttered quickly, and closely resembles the ordinary six 

 or eight-note call of Platycerciis eximius (Rosella). 



Ocyphaps lophotes. Crested Pigeon. — Common, and seen in flocks 

 in the lignum bushes about billabongs. Their call is " Woo-woo-woo- 

 woo," rendered slowly. The remarkable tin-like or metallic sound 

 produced by the wings of this species when flying is probably due to 

 the spatulatc feathers in the primaries. 



Lophophaps leucogaster. While-bellied Plumed-Pigeon. — A number 

 met with, and two specimens secured. An adult female measures in 

 mm.: — Total length 217, wing 112, tarsus 19, tail /T,, bill 17. Eyes 

 golden-yellow ; bare skin round eyes reddish-\'ermilion ; claws black ; 



