228 Obituary Notice. {.^ZrW 



speed to outfly its enemy. It is a ^■^rand race ; both are so terribly in 

 earnest ; and I am glad to say the Pigeon generally wins." 



A ''desert beauty" — the Tricoloured Bush-Chat {EpJithianura 

 tricolor) : 



" I don't know why, but from the first time I saw (lould's fine picture of 

 this beautiful bird and read his meagre description of it, I burned to possess 

 it, to see it in its native haunts, to discover all about it. What a glorious 

 thing is the untamed ardour of youth ! What a little it makes of a difficulty 

 if a hobby is to be gratified! And I really believe it was the thought of 

 seeing this bird that sent me years ago out into what was then a dr)'^, 

 inhospitable region, unknown and untaken-up by squatters — I mean the 

 north east corner of South Australia. I was really looking for available 

 sheep country, but I determined to find out all about this bird as well. 

 Imagine my intense delight when one day I saw a whole flock of them 

 flitting before me ; and, moreover, it did not take me long to notice that 

 they were actually nesting. Heie was a prize indeed — to find the nest and 

 eggs of what was (then) admitted to be one of the rarest, if not the rarest, 

 bird in the whole of the country. Great was my pleasure when I found that 

 almost every saltbush had a nest in it, and I soon collected as many eggs as 

 I could pack. Unfortunately, through the vicissitudes of outside travelling, 

 they all got broken and lost before I again returned to civilization." 



The small Blood-stained Cockatoo [Cncat/ia sajigiiinea) : 



" These lesser Corellas are useful as water-finders, as stated in my 

 previous paper on water-finding birds. I have a particular affection for 

 them, as I once found a large hole and a fine piece of country through 

 them. I was travelling up a creek in what was then unknown land ; it is 

 some years ago now, and the scene I am about describing has vanished 

 before those more utilitarian occupants, sheep and cattle. The season was 

 dry — there had been no winter rains — and I was hunting for water. I had 

 followed up the creek until I thought I was at the last water, and had 

 camped. The creek here split into two feeders ; both had heavy timber on, 

 and ought to have had water, yet I had followed one branch for some seven 

 miles, and had to return without finding any ; the creek had got drier and 

 drier, more stony and less likely to hold. I was dispirited, for the other 

 branch I had also gone up three miles, and it seemed of the same character ; 

 and my horses being tired, and night closing, I had returned to my 

 present camp. It was at a wretched little dirty puddle, and, not having 

 found any water for many miles down the creek as well, I had determinecl 

 to give up further search, when just at sundown a very large flock of these 

 Corellas came flying by me and up the creek, and to my surprise went 

 along the very branch I had travelled up so far. Knowing so well the 

 habits of these birds, and that they rejoiced in making a ' camp ' or 

 roosting-place at the top water of a creek, I was delighted, for I knew that 

 at this time of day they were not going on to the plains to feed, but 

 must be going to water and to roost. Intently and anxiously I 

 watched that flock ; I am sure I kept sight of them for five miles — 

 not indeed really, but in this way : the sun was just setting, 

 and the beautiful snow-white of their plumage as they twisted and 

 twirled in their flight caught these setting rays and reflected the light like 

 the flash from a moving mirror, and I kept catching gleams of this white 

 cloud long after the flock was otherwise indistinguishable ; and they were 

 still flying up the creek. This decided me, and I determined, on the 

 morrow, to go after them till I found them. \'ery early dawn found me 

 stirring ; I had done the seven miles I had previously travelled by an hour 

 after sunrise, and yet there were no signs of the birds ; another two miles, 

 and the creek looked less and less likely for water ; the channel was 

 degenerating in size and depth, the timber was getting thinner and less 



