^'"'iQ.o''''] CiiAM)i,i:i^ W'i/h Cdiiii'i'd ill Xny/li^Wesf Viclnria. 5 



hunters, ;i,ii(l latrr I saw several cat-U'iKintcd lo^s, and (he 

 amount of t'eathers strewn about was al)pallin!^^ 



When nearing l.ake Ihittah we erosst'd a. sand-ridge whtic 

 jMurray pines {('(illHris rolmsta) and the llat-iruited l)ulokc 

 (Casitayina l.iichiuaiuii) grew in profusion and contril)uted their 

 special fauna. Ih're the noisy Striped Honey-eaters [Pleclorhyncha 

 lanceolatii), the Spiny-cheeked Honey-caters {Acanthogenys riifi- 

 gularis). and the Black-capped Tree-runners {Neositta pileata) were 

 observed. 



Crossing the opcMi slopes of a sand-ridge, where the tall thick- 

 heads {Myrioccphciliis Sluartii) grew in thousands, we entered tlie 

 fiat country, which is frequently flooded in the spring months. 

 The timber is principally box and red gum. This box-gum 

 {Eucalyptus Woollsiana) grows everywhere in the areas liable to 

 flood, but along the margin of the lakes, rivers, and creeks it is 

 supplanted by the red gum {Eucalyptus rostrata). On our right 

 lay Lake Hattah, which appeared to be 5 or 6 miles in circum- 

 ference, with shores thickly lined with trees. Black Swans 

 {Chcnopis atrata). Grebes (Podiceps gularis), Ducks, and Cor- 

 morants dotted the surface Qi the water, but, considering that a 

 large area, including several lakes, is a sanctuary for waterfowl, 

 the scarcity of the birds was disappointing to a bird-lover. 



Lakes Lockie and Cantala were passed, and we followed Chalka 

 Creek, and finally crossed its dried bed, which was really a series 

 of long water-holes. In flood times it is a large, semicircular arm 

 of water, which feeds the chain of lakes with the Murray waters. 

 Water-birds were also scarce on Lakes Lockie and Cantala. Among 

 other birds observed here were flocks of Pelicans {Pelecanus con- 

 spicillatus), Avocets {Recurvirostra ruhricollis), and Spoonbills 

 {Platihis flavipes). The fewness of water-birds was understood 

 later when I heard from several Purees that this locality has been 

 more favoured by shooters since it was officially proclaimed a 

 sanctuary than at any other time. Not only is it visited during 

 the open season for game, but at times when game-birds are 

 supposed to be enjoying the protection of law, whether in 

 sanctuaries or otherwise. During the Easter holidays, 1920, 

 officers of the Fisheries and Game Department paid a surprise visit 

 to Lake Hattah, and 10 men were apprehended for illegal shooting 

 on a sanctuary, and convicted and fined in a country court. 



The road passing the lakes was firm and hard, and as we drove 

 briskly along we disturbed Spur-winged Plovers {LohivancUus 

 lohatus), small companies of Emus {Dromaius novcv-hollandia'), 

 Straw-necked Ibises {Carphibis spinicollis), and different species of 

 Ducks, including the Maned Goose {Chlamydochen jubata), the 

 Chestnut-breasted Shieldrake or Mountain Duck {Casarca 

 tadornoides), the Black Duck {Anas siiperciliosa), the Grey Teal 

 {Nettiujn gibberifrons), the Pink-eared Duck {M alacorhynchns 

 vicmhranaceus), and the White-eyed Duck {Nyroca auslralis). 

 White Cockatoos {Cacatua galerita) and Rose-breasted Cockatoos 

 {Cacatua roseicapiUa) flew in screaming companies among the 



