^°\m^^-] D'O-MBK.MX. ./ Trip to the River-Scrubs. 121 



undergrowth was encouiUered, and in one of the guUies, all of 

 which ran to the main creek (Billy's Creek), we found Lyre- 

 Birds' nests, and lying at the foot of one a fine male bird, dead, 

 and close by a young one. The cause of their deaths seemed 

 mysterious, and we wondered if poison laid for rabbits by the 

 settlers had been the cause. 



Our ears were ever on the qui vivc for the Scrub Bird 

 {Atrichornis), and although 'in all our quests we were not for- 

 tunate enough to find a specimen, yet later on, thinking over 

 things and comparing notes, we came to the conclusion, in \iew 

 of what we learned, that we had heard the call, but failed to 

 associate it with the bird. It must be remembered that it was in 

 this locality, years before, Mr. ."^yd. Jackson had located the 

 birds. 



Soon we had found a Log-runner's nest, empty, and every- 

 where the quaint call of the Small Southern Warbler {Gerygone 

 fi(sca) was heard, and numerous examples of the pretty hang- 

 ing nests were found. High up among the top branches of giant 

 trees we found the Crested Hawk, a good specimen of which 

 was secured before it was identified. The days spent there were 

 full of interest, but always the chief object of our outings — 

 the Atrichornis — was not recorded. 



However, we w^ere introduced for the first time to the Large- 

 headed Shrike-Robin, and much excitement was evinced about 

 it until we had finally "placed" the species, the writer spending 

 many hours in closely observing the habits of this dweller of the 

 quietest glades, and in securing photos of the bird on the nest, 

 but about this it is intended to write later in detail. 



Night brought its Boobooks and another Owl with a weird 

 call, w'hich species it was we were unable to determine. Cat- 

 Birds "meowed" and Bell-Magpies (Strepera) called unceas- 

 ingly from the tree-tops; Lyre-Birds gave us imitations, and 

 Dollar-Birds chattered in the dead timber around our camp in 

 the twilight ; altogether over 70 species of birds were listed. 



Our last day at this camp was occupied by an excursion in 

 the cars to a splendid creek known as Cloud's Creek, where we 

 were to "park" the cars near the site of an old saw- mill, and 

 from which we were to follow a certain track into the hills into 

 another "big scrub." 



The drive down to this creek was very fine, as very frequently 

 the road was simply an avenue with huge vine-covered trees 

 hundreds of feet high on either side. How-ever, after leaving 

 the cars in a beautiful, clear space covered with very green grass, 

 we somehow missed the right track, and after a long and hot 

 walk had to return to camp. The clear space referred to was 

 an ideal place for a camp, and we found that at different places 

 in the big scrub these spaces existed and caused a lot of sur- 

 prise to the party owing to the fact that they had not been 

 cleared by artificial means, but were natural open spaces. 



There were the usual species of birds to be seen and heard, 

 and we were much interested in Tree-runners (sp. ?) in the toj)- 



