^°'i^"] WHITLOCK, Trip to Fortcscnc Rhrr 265 



river or Mill Stream Creek. It produces a round seed the size 

 and shape of a sandalwood nut. The flowers and flower stalks 

 are red. The seeds are swallowed by Emus, as they have a 

 soft outer covering which an Emu can digest. These ])alms 

 reach a height of nearly twenty feet — measured to the topmost 

 frond. 



Pied Cormorants {P/ialacrocorax I'ariiis) occurred as 

 stragglers on all the pools. I picked up a feather, referrable 

 to the plumage of the Nankeen Xight-Heron ( Xycticorax cale- 

 doniciis). IMrs. C. R. Irvine showed me a clever painting, exe- 

 cuted by her daughter, Mrs. Roberts, of the head of a Mangrove 

 Bittern (Butoridcs sta<ptatilis). This was drawn from life. At 

 a pool near an out-station I observed a specimen of the Black- 

 tailed Native Hen {^Tribonyx ventraUs). '\lv. Irvine told me 

 that one season this species appeared around the homestead in 

 hundreds. They were very fearless, and it was difficult to give 

 the fowls a feed whilst they were present. Individuals even 

 came into the house. They disappeared as suddenly as they 

 arrived. 



Pelicans { Pclccomis conspicillatits) were not infrequent on 

 the river. I identified only two species of Herons, vie. : the 

 White-necked and the White- faced {Notophoyx pacifica and 

 N. novcc-Jwllandicr). White Egrets (sp. ?) were occasionally 

 seen. In the wet flats towards the river, I noted small flock 

 of the Straw-necked Ibis (Thrcskiornis spinkolUs), but they 

 were not in breeding plumage. I saw but little of the Bustard 

 or Plain Turkey (Eupodofis aiistralis). Usually they were 

 solitary individuals. But on one occasion I saw a party of 

 three. It is strange that this wary species is not alarmed by 

 the hum of a motor car, and allow^s of a very near approach. 

 Several were shot for the table from a car b}- Mr. Ir\ine during 

 my stay at Mill Stream. 



On the grassy plains between the river and ranges a P>u.sh 

 Lark (Mirafra woodivardi ?) was not uncommon. During the 

 heat of the day, for want of better shade, they cam]) on the 

 lee side of fence posts. The Pipit (Anthits australis) was far 

 from common, compared with other districts of this State. The 

 Chats (Epthianiircc), owing to the dry season, were absent. The 

 Crimson Chat (E. tricolor) was, however, well known as a 

 regular visitor. Three other genera, common to most parts 

 of this State, were also absent, z-iz. : Scrub- Wrens (Sericoniis), 

 Thornbills (.lco»f///ro), and Grovind-Birds (Cinclosomo ). This 

 is in accordance with my other experiences in the heart of the 

 true north-west. A form of the Yellow Silvereye (Zosterops 

 lutea balstoni) was present by the river, and was also found 

 near the homestead at Mill Stream. This is the first time I 

 have found this species far from the coast. Another species 

 not previously met with by myself in the north-west, was the 



