418 Mr. E. Lort Phillips on Birds 



87. Melittophagus cyanostictus (Cab.) ; Lort Phillips, 

 Ibis, 1896, p. 73. 



No. 144. $ . Sogsoda, Feb. 14, 1897. Iris red. 



No. 244. Gedais, Mar. 12, „ „ „ 



No 307. S ' Goolis foot-hills. Mar. 25, „ „ „ 



Common everywhere. On March 25th we found a nest of 

 this little Bee-eater in a sandy bank, containing young ones, 

 the chirrups of which we could hear at the end of their dark 

 passage. Unfortunately, one of our party (in ignorance of 

 the fact) shot the male bird, and the grief of the widow was 

 piteous to behold. She darted about before the entrance to 

 her home in the greatest distress, loudly twittering forth her 

 loss and her forlorn condition. This little ruse, if ruse it was, 

 was crowned with complete success, for within an hour a new 

 mate had come to the rescue, and we watched him with the 

 now happy mother, feeding his ready-made family with as 

 much assiduity as if they were his own children. 



88. Caprimulgus inornatus Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, 

 p. 503. 



No. 212. Wagga Mountain, 5000 ft., Mar. 3, 1897. Iris 

 black. 



We saw several of these Goatsuckers at Hankadeely, our 

 camping-place on Wagga Mountain ; they were hawking for 

 moths high in the air at sundown. 



89. Scops LEUcoTis (Temm.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 ii. p. 97 (1875). 



No. 236. ? . Gedais, March 10, 1897. Iris yellow. 



This Owl, of which we obtained only one specimen, may 

 be plentiful, but, being strictly nocturnal in its habits, it is 

 not often noticed. 



90. Carine spilogastra (Heugl.) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, 

 p. 504. 



No. 110. c?- Sheikh ruins, Feb. 4, 1897. Iris yellow. 



This little Owl, though seldom seen, must be very 

 plentiful, as its beautiful soft call-notes are heard in every 

 direction as soon as the daylight has gone. It breeds in 

 the tall white-ant-hills and in hollow trees. 



