186 WHITLOCK, Noles from NuUarbor Plain. KfaT 



gar or "Shell Parrot" {Melopsittacus undiilatus}. They may 

 have been passing migrants. 



At night I occasionally heard Parrot-like notes that 1 could 

 not account for. They were uttered by some bird, as it tiew 

 around. After sunset I put in some time near telegraph posts 

 in the hopes that whatever bird it was might perch on one of the 

 arms, but without success. It was only on calm nights that these 

 notes were audible, and they had an aggravating way of putting 

 one on the alert after having turned in. On one occasion the 

 fettlers reported a Parrot seen as they were returning from 

 work some two miles from camp. I visited the neighbourhood 

 next morning without meeting with it, so have no idea what it 

 was. After the heavy gales waifs of known species are not un- 

 likely to occur. 



On the plain the Australian Dottrel (Peltohyas aitstralis) is 

 well known. At times it is said to occur in large flocks. I met 

 with parties nearly every day at Haig, and saw others near 

 Loongana. The breeding season was over. I picked up the 

 wreck of three or four birds killed by striking the telegraph 

 wires. One I found alive with both legs broken. This proved 

 to be an adult female that had bred earlier in the season. Moult- 

 ing had commenced. The favourite haunt of this species seems 

 to be the gentle stony rises in the plain. Here they fed and rested 

 in small flocks, and were excessively wary. Seldom I got within 

 a hundred yards of a party before they took to flight. 



At Naretha I had the luck to find the nest of the only pair I 

 met with. Some two miles from camp, in crossing a small bare 

 flat, I noticed a Dottrel running away. There had been a heavy 

 gale the previous night, and I thought this bird might have been 

 a stray. It was not feeding, however, so I sat down to watch. 

 In ten minutes it ran back towards me, and squatted down, at the 

 same time kee])ing his head erect to watch me. I walked over 

 to the i)lace, and si)otted the three eggs. They were just visible, 

 being laid in a slight hollow, and nearly covered with fluffy seed 

 vessels. I .saw nothing of this bird's mate. 



Quails of any species were rare at Xarelha, Init on tiie jilain 

 at Haig the Little Quail (Tiiniix irlox) was plentiful. 1 found 

 this sj)ecies nesting on the grassy flats or in the long herbage on 

 the edges of the dongas, and occasionally on the margins of the 

 tracts of timber. Usually, the apolog)- for a nest — a little pad 

 of grass — was ]ilaced at the foot of a tussock of grass. On this 

 four j)retty eggs were laid. Occasionally the eggs were protected 

 by a few fallen sticks. Some nests I found by flu.shing the sit- 

 ting bird, others I found without any aid. P)Oth the male and 

 female .shepherd the young. I often heard them calling their 

 gentle "tchook-tchook" to lead the young away. 



There was a second species of Quail at Haig, much less com- 

 mon than T. X'clnx. It was larger, and laid as many as six eggs, 

 somewhat like those of the Painted Quail (Turtux I'aria). I 

 found one deserted nest, and another nesl with the empty shells 



