264 WHITLOCK, Trip to Fortescnc River j Ts "Apnl" 



and is wonderfully clear, and pleasant lo drink. The stream 

 divides into four channels near the homestead, and after irri- 

 gating the gardens, spreads out into the Hats towards the main 

 river. The depressions in these flats com])rise large and almost 

 impenetrable reed-beds, the haunt of several interesting si)ecies 

 of birds. These comprise Reed Warblers (Acroccphahis aus- 

 tralis longirostris), various Crakes (Porzana), Western vSwamp- 

 Hens { Porphyria), W^ater Hens (Calliniila), and a species of 

 Fantail- Warbler (Cisticola ). These Cisticolac were very in- 

 teresting, and I think their plumage was of a paler tint than 

 that of a typical specimen. I found them very silent, but they 

 had a feeble call-note, which at first I took to be the note of 

 of a nestling Crake. It was disappointing to see no signs of 

 their breeding. They had a habit of getting up from the 

 rushes almost at one's feet, and then dropping into the nearest 

 dense cover, from which it was difficult to entice them. Occa- 

 sionally they would perch in some conspicuous situation, show- 

 ing but little fear at such times. The ])lumage of the ui)per 

 parts was much striped. But in the s])ecimens ])rocured the 

 nape was always greyish buff and unstriped. I could not get 

 a view of the Crakes {Porzana) inhabiting the reed-beds, but 

 the notes were identical with those of the Spotless Crake {P. 

 plumbca), with which I am very familiar. I obtained, how- 

 ever, a small Porzana I could not identify with certainty. It 

 was nearer to the Lyittle Crake {P. pitsilla), and had greyish 

 white stripes on the mantle. Another bird seen swimming on 

 the Mill Stream spring was a small species, and appeared to 

 have a shield on the forehead. Air. C. R. Irvine told me 

 he had seen small Crakes running on the aquatic \egetation 

 there, and that they had red eyes. The bird 1 saw had a 

 feeble call, like the syllables "ik-ik-ik." 



1 could not get a specimen of the Swami)-Hen (Porphyrio), 

 but a little aboriginal girl found an egg near the main river. 

 This was kindly given to me by Mrs. C. R. Irvine. It resembles 

 an egg of the Western Swamp-Hen (Porphyrio bellus). I'airs 

 of the Darter (.hihinija novcc-hoUandicc) were on the Mill 

 Stream Creek, and also on all the pools of the main river. Their 

 clattering cries often called my attention to them when other- 

 wise I might have overlooked them, .\nother acpiatic birtl I 

 occasionally Hushed when T went to the spring for water was 

 the P.lack Bittern {Pitpcfor f^az'icollis). A pair of Little 

 Grebes must have nested on ihe Mill Stream Creek, as I saw 

 them with one very small chick. There was tpiite a fleet of 

 this species of ("irebe on the I'alni Pool — so called from the 

 proximity of many palms growing on its margins. This species 

 of palm does not appear to be l)otanically known, and I was 

 told on the best authority that it is indigenous, and i)eculiar to 

 the Forlescue River. It is a water-loving species, and I never 

 saw it more tiian a coui>lc of hundred vards awav from the 



