Il6 Svi.L.ixA's, Some Mallee Birds. [ 



Emu 

 nd Oct. 



gracefulness even among Honey-eaters, and its song is certainly 

 the most delicate bird music one would wish to hear. Its four 

 notes, each repeated three times in an ascending chord, for tender- 

 ness and delicacy stand alone. The Noisy Miner {Myzantha 

 garrula) does not appear in the district — at least, I observed no 

 signs of it. 



Through the six months spent here I ha\'e been much struck 

 by the absence of Parrots. The only one that is at all plentiful 

 is the Red-backed Parrakeet (Psephotiis hcematonotus). Besides 

 this, I have recognized the following ■ — One Many-coloured Parra- 

 keet {Psephotiis multicolor) ; " Bulloak Parrakeet " {Psephotits 

 xanthorrhoiis), rare ; Rosella [Platycercus eximius), very rare ; 

 Galah {Cacatiia roseicapilla), rare ; Sulphur-crested Cockatoo 

 (Cacatita galerita), rare ; Cockatiel {Calopsittacus novce-hollandice), 

 rare ; Ring-neck {Barnardius barnardi), rare ; Betcherrygah 

 {Melopsittacus iindiilatus) appeared in small flocks at the end of 

 October ; Purple-crowned Lorikeets {GlossopsUtacus porphyro- 

 cephalns) have been plentiful all the year, l^xcepting in captivity, 

 I have not seen a " Smoker " {Polytelis melanura). Seeing that 

 Parrakeets were once so numerous in this district, the present 

 state of their small numbers is alarming. 



Early in spring the delightful liquid notes of the Crested Bell- 

 Bird were heard, but not frequently. In my " shanghai " days, 

 we Maryborough boys just revelled in the song of Oreoica cristata, 

 or " Wack-to-the-rottle," as we called it. The Chestnut-rumped 

 Ground-Bird [Cinclosoma castanonotum) was plentiful round 

 Antwerp, and could easily be approached. The Little Dove 

 {Geopelia cuneata) was also plentiful along any of the water- 

 courses. These birds provide a most striking example of protective 

 colouration, and they are veritable ventriloquists. It is ex- 

 ceedingly difficult to distinguish a bird resting among the river 

 gum branches, and, even though one may be viewing a bird from 

 a few yards, one hardly realizes that the plaintive " Toodle-too " 

 is coming from the bird under observation. I have often seen 

 these Doves feeding with the Sparrows (introduced) at the wheat 

 stacks, and it is a common thing for them to fly down and pick 

 up wheat when the poultry are fed. 



Though I have heard the local sportsmen speak of " Bronze- 

 wings," I have not yet flushed a Pigeon, and the oldest inhabitant 

 informed me that I arrived here about lo years too late to see 

 any sign of the last Mallee-Fowl {Lipoa ocellata). Neither this 

 bird nor the Wild Turkey is now seen south of Lake Hindmarsh. 



Magpies (both Gymnorhina tibicen and G. leuconota) were 

 numerous, and in about equal numbers ; Ravens {Coronc aus- 

 tralis) only rarely seen. 



On i6th July there came a pair of Wood-Swallows (Artamiis 

 sordidiis). Since then I observed a few specimens, and on 30th 

 October a pair had just completed a nest. On 6th September 

 White-browed Wood-Swallows (.4. siiperciliosus) appeared in 

 flocks, and about a month later I noticed the Masked species 



