268 WHITLOCK, 7>;> to Fortcscuc Rkrr [TsfApni* 



were present. I saw a number of old nests, and believe a tew 

 pairs bred. The Hooded Robin (Mclonodryas cncuUata) was 

 in scattered pairs all over the run, but the Red-capped Robin 

 (Pctroica (joodenovu) was confined to the river. I saw one 

 pair feeding a young one. Curiously enough I did not .see a 

 single male in full i)lumage. Had this anytliing to do with the 

 dry season? The \\'eebill {Smicrornis hrcvirostris) was com- 

 mon enough in the dwarf Bloodwood Kucalypts, but was not 

 breeding. The Welcome Swallow {Hirimdo )ieoxcna) was 

 present, and Tree Martins ( Hylocliclidnii iiu/ricans) were 

 present in the ranges, and more commonly by the river. I think 

 occasional pairs bred. 



The notes of the Pallid Cuckoo (Cucitliis pallidus) were 

 heard in all parts, but the smaller Narrow-billed Bronze Cuckoo 

 (Clialcitcs basalis) was almost absent. This was no d(nibt due 

 to the dry season. Xight-Jars were heard, but not identified, 

 exce]>t the small Owlet Nightjar {JEgotheles cristata). This 

 species often called from the hole it was roosting in during 

 the day. Mr. R. Roberts, the overseer of Mill Stream, rei)orted 

 putting up a pair of "Ghost-Birds" ( Eiirostopodus .sp. : i but 

 was not able to get a specimen. 



The Pheasant-Coucal (Coitropiis pliasiaiiiiiHS) was not un- 

 common by the river, and a pair lived in a reed-bed near the 

 homestead. Some years ago Mrs. R. Roberts, when out riding, 

 flushed a female from her nest in the Spinifex. The eggs 

 were brought home ; they were at once put under a hen and 

 hatched out in a week into very ugly nestlings. The hen 

 promptly abandoned them, but they were successfully reared by 

 hand. As ])ets they j)r()\ed undesirable, and two were sent 

 down to the Perth Zoo. The third was liberated, and for some 

 time got its living in the homestead gardens. 



It might be reasonably exi)ected that Ducks would be abun- 

 dant on the fine ])ools in the river. This was not the case, but 

 in a better season things might be diiYerent. Perhaps a truer 

 explanation is that the ])()ols, owing to their great depth, do 

 not contain a sufficiency of the necessary food to suit ducks. 

 The magnificent "Deep Reach" pool, which is two and a half 

 miles long, attains an average depth of fifty-two feet. Sound- 

 ings up to sixty-one feet have been made. .\11 these ])ools con- 

 tain an abundance of edible fish. I separated six distinct 

 species, but could not name any of them, except in a general 

 way. T identified the common Civey (Black) Duck {.hias 

 supcrciliosus), and saw another tlock of a smaller species, with 

 much white on the flight feathers (Xyroca aiistralis ? ). 

 Kimberley Ccese, T^lumed Whistling Ducks {Doidrncyiina 

 cytoiii), I was told, occur at certain seasons of the year. A 

 bird common enough on the Coongan and the Grey Rivers, i-ic, 

 Black-fronted Dotterel (Charadrius inclanof>s), was rare on the 



