Vol. XXI 

 1921 



] McGILP, The Black-banded Whiteface. 49 



The Black-banded Whiteface 



By J. NEIL McClIJ', K..\.( ).L'., Kin-'s I'ark. Adelaide. 



My first introduction to the lUack-banded Whiteface {Aphc- 

 iocephala nigricincta) was in April, 1920, when, by reason of 

 drought, I was compelled to remove our sheep from Moolawatana 

 Station out on to Sandhill Country, towards the X.S.W. border. 

 This belt of sandhills extends from Lake Frome to the N.SAV. 

 border, and for hundreds of miles northwards from the southern 

 end of Lake Frome. 



It was in this locality that I found this little banded bird in 

 fair numbers, its ver}- sweet note first calling my attention to "'a 

 new bird." I have lived for many years on the western side 

 of Lake Frome, but had not identified this bird, so evidently the 

 sandhill country is its habitat. Lake Frome is onlv a salt basin, 

 havino^ water on it only after heavv rainfall. It cuts ofif the 

 sandhill country from open grassy plains extending westerly to 

 the Flinders Range. 



During May. 1920, I was fortunate enough to find this bird 

 breeding, although at that time the country was in the grip of 

 the drought, which eventually broke on May 31st. with a good 

 general rain. It was noticed that few of these birds had hatche<l 

 out young before the rain came, still practically all were nesting. 

 Have some birds the power to forecast rain ? 



The nest is rather a bulky, domed-sliaped structure, and is in- 

 \ariabiy placed in a prickly bush or shrub. I noted nests only 

 in the "Deadfinish" (Acacia nlicina) and "Roley Foley." or Rus- 

 sian Thistle (Saisola kali), both bushes being of a prickle- 

 nature. The outside of the nest is usually composed of dark- 

 coloured twigs, making it rather conspicuous. Inside these dark- 

 coloured twigs is placed a lining of flower stems and flower pods, 

 with H final lining of soft feathers. The entrance to the nest is 

 a long narrow funnel about i inch in diameter, and 6 to 9 inches 

 in length. This funnel is lined with feathers for a third of the 

 distance from the egg cavity. To inspect the contents of these 

 nests, it is necessary to break open the funnels, but I was sur- 

 prised to find that the bird did not resent this interference. 



In all I inspected nine nests, containing eggs, and though all 

 were in various stages of incubation. I found only one set of 

 three eggs, the set being otherwise of two eggs. I also found 

 several nests with young, but onlv two were in the nest on every 

 occasion. As the season was far from a normal one. I thought 

 that Nature had provided that short sets should be laid. 



In April. 192 1, my brother visited this locality, and. thougli lie 

 told me he had inspected a number of nests, he failed to find more 

 than two eggs to the clutch. Now. this season is the best on re- 

 cord, and most birds are laving full sets, manv even having ab- 



