i^^^ ] lioyal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 1^3 



complete' (he proposed draft for the printer. Fifty copies of tin; 

 proposed draft list are to be printed and distributed for criticism 

 and conunent. Sucli will be fully considered by tin- commiltec, 

 and it is lioped that the second edition of tlu' " ("lierk-lir^l " \vill 

 ])i> finalized at the Sydney congress next year. 



NOTES ON THE SUPPOSED "EXTINCT" BIRDS Ol' llll-. 



SOUTH-WEST CORNER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 

 J^Y Edwin Ashby, F.L.S., M.B.O.U., Wittunga, F>LA(:Kwo()n, 



S.A. 

 FoLi.owi.NG on the R.A.O.U. Congress at Perth and YaUinguj). 

 the president of the I'nion (Mr. C. A. Barnard), Mr. J. W. :\Iellor, 

 and the writer proceeded to Ellensbrook, on the coast, half-way 

 between Cape NaturaUste and the Leeuwin, this being the type- 

 locaHty for Mr. Milligan's Sphcnura littoralis (the Lesser Bristle- 

 Bird), also an old habitat of Psophodes nigrigiilaris (the Black- 

 throated Coachwhip-Bird). It also is not far from one of the 

 recorded localities for Airichornis clamosa (the Noisy Scrub-Bird). 

 While many interesting birds were noted during our three days' 

 stay in that charming locality, none of the species named was met 

 \\'ith. Nevertheless, information was obtained respecting the 

 causes of their disappearance and the localities \vhere they should 

 now be looked for. 



At Ellensbrook the hills slope steeply from the elevated forest 

 country down to the coast, and that portion fronting the Indian 

 Ocean for half a mile or more back is more or less sand}' and 

 covered densely with low bushes, one of the commonest being 

 a pink Pimelea, which forms alow, dense cover. We were informed 

 that in years gone b}' this scrub used to be about 4 feet high, but 

 the continual fires put through with a view to improving the 

 herbage for sheep have effectually reduced the scrub to the height 

 of 18 inches or 2 feet. Large patches of sedge and rushes are 

 still to be found on the fiats. Miss Bussell showed iis the spot, 

 close to the homestead, wher(^ ]\Ir. Milligan obtained the type of 

 Sphennra littoralis. Being close t(j the house, on the side of the 

 creek, a httle patch of unburnt scrub still remains, and it was in 

 this surviving patch of low bush that Mr. MiUigan obtained tin- 

 bird, called by Miss Bussell the " Rain-Bird." Evidently it 

 must be searched for in low coastal scrubs not swept by constant 

 tires. The same applies to the Black-throated Coachwhip-Bird, 

 which frequented the same spots, as the Bristle-Bird. No doubt 

 such unburnt country exists between Ellensbrook and the 

 Leeuwin, but it is probably difficult of access. We learnt that 

 such bush exists about Cape Naturaliste. We saw something of 

 it during our stay at Yallingup, and have reason to believe that 

 the Bristk:-Bird is in the immediate neighbourhood. 



Another interesting fact is that Leipoa ocellaia (the ]\Iallee-Fowl) 

 is to be found at Cape Natuialiste. My informant had seen the 

 lairds and found the nests quite recently. This bird needs in- 



