172 WHITLOCK, Notes from NuIIarbor Plow. Ti^ffan" 



grasses and herbaceous plants are up to and above one's knees. 

 They form favourite feeding grounds for a variety of birds. 



I i)aid several visits to the timber belts near Haig, particularly 

 to the one five miles to the east. 1 worked this chiefly to the 

 north. Roughly it is about a mile in width, and I could not dis- 

 cern its northerly limit, even with the aid of a field-glass. Near 

 the railway, the timber had been much cut during construction 

 times. I found these belts to contain plenty of bird life, but with 

 the exception of the Masked Wood-Swallow {Artamus person- 

 atus) and the Swift Quail (Turnix velox) few species seemed 

 to breed there. One reason for this may be the entire absence of 

 hollow trunks, and the foliage being confined to the umbrella-like 

 tops of the trees. 



I left Haig 28th October on a flying trip to Loongana, 116 

 miles from the South Australian border. My object in visiting 

 Loongana was to inspect a well-known cave there, and to ex- 

 amine a series of blow-holes a few miles to the west in the hopes 

 of meeting with specimens of the Cave, or Barn Owl {Tyto 

 alba). The breeding season being practically over, I only re- 

 mained a few days at Loongana, returning to Haig to jiick up my 

 impedimenta, oi route for I'erth, which I reached Xo\ember 4th. 



liefore referring in detail to the various species of birds met 

 with during the expedition, I must mention that the season was 

 a good one, the rainfall for the month of May being exception- 

 ally heavy, and extending right across the plain. Even at Haig 

 it amounted to 366 points. June registered 145 points. At 

 Naretha the fall was equally good, and during my stay there fur- 

 ther falls of from 20 to 50 points were not infrequent. The 

 most serious drawback to collecting and observing bird life on 

 the plain is the almost incessant wind. Really calm days are 

 quite the exception, and at times the gales are very violent in- 

 deed. It is necessary to have one's tent ])rotected by a wind- 

 break of some kind. 



I found Mr. Gibson's list of birds reliable. I did not meet with 

 all the species he did, and on the other hand, I found a few that 

 were not noted by him. This is only what might be expected. 

 Mr. Gibson covered a far larger area, but against this, I examined 

 the country around my various centres more closely, and ob- 

 tained one or two species likely to be overlooked in a more casual 

 search. I shall therefore not repeat his list, but content myself 

 with commenting on those species met with which are of special 

 interest. 



X'arious Species of Birds. 

 ( )f the birds of prey recorded by Mr. Gibson, 1 saw nothing of 

 either the common Kite {Mihus niif/raiis) or the Square-tailed 

 Kite (Lophoictinia isura). Possibly both species were breeding 

 well away from the railway line. Many of the railway employees 

 are interested in homing Pigeons, and Hawks are not jiopular 

 around the various stations. 



