Vol. XXII. 

 1923 



] WHITl.OCK. Trip to Fortesnic River 271 



being clearer to the south, to watcli the jiarly which llew away 

 in that direction. 



The gorge at the spring was contracted, and witli very steep 

 slopes, capped with precipitous clilifs. These cliffs were formed 

 of horizontal strata of what looked like ferruginous (|uartzite, 

 capped with great masses of ironstone conglomerate. The 

 strata were much laminated, and between the ])lates wild hgs 

 (Ficiis piihcrcida) and other hush-like trees managed to main- 

 tain an e.xistence. One of the birds I was watching flew to- 

 wards a large wild-fig tree near the summit of the cliff. A 

 search along the slo])es of the gorge for a nest or ii]a\gr()und 

 proved fruitless. It was a sultry day, with distant thunder. 

 This set me thinking. If a rain storm came all rock holes might 

 be filled with water and I should have small chafice of locating 

 the liower-Birds under such conditions. I resolved t<^ secure 

 a pair of specimens whilst I had the chance. This was easily 

 <lone, and I returned to my ba.se camp to skin them as I had no 

 facilities to do so with me. I packed everything carefully, and 

 put rugs, etc., in the fork of a gum tree to be out of the reach 

 of dingoes, which are plentiful in the ranges. T did not reckon 

 with the white ants, however, which ate enormous holes in the 

 tent fly. 



On dissection, both birds proved to be males. One a real old 

 bird, the other a }ounger individual, but not showing signs of 

 being a last season's nestling. The older bird had naturally the 

 more brilliant pink nape, but this was quite prominent in the 

 younger specimen also. I'otli showed few feathers and other 

 signs of moult. 



There were local thunderstorms the next few days, and T 

 could see a smart shower falling oyer the Bower-Bird Gorge. 

 While I obtained the above mentioned pair a third bird re- 

 mained overhead in a gum tree. I watched this individual, and 

 raising my head at the right moment saw it fly away. It headed 

 straight for a precipitous bluft' some 500 yards distant. With 

 the aid of my field-glass I could make out a large wild fig bush 

 growing on the edge of this bluff. It seemed a likely ])lace to 

 look for both a playground and a nest. Mr. Tom Carter, 

 though he did not get eggs, found old nests in wild fig trees at 

 Yardie Creek, but failed to find a play-ground. I resolved to 

 try and reach the summit of the bluff by climbing the cliff. Two 

 attempts near the front failed. The precipitous part was quite 

 thirty feet in height, and composed of horizontal bedding, in 

 many places perilously insecure. I knew that the gorge forked 

 at the rear of the bluff, so followed it round for half a mile. 

 At one point the cliff was lower and broken away. I made a 

 third attempt and by zig-zagging reached the summit. It was 

 a simple matter then to walk oyer to the north side of the 

 bluff. I soon located the wild fig tree, and could see birds 



