196 CAMPBE.LL, Birds of Grootc Eylandt. ["^i^ffan" 



Flycatchers and a few Barred-shouldered Doves observed. Just at 

 dark a big crocodile swam along and floated on the surface of the 

 water, 20 yards from the beach in front of the camp. Too dark for 

 a sure shot with rifle, so did not distui'b it. Twenty minutes later it 

 swam away along the beach. 



.3/5/21. — Boobook Owl heard calling before daylight and Brown 

 Quail before sunrise. Breakfast, and go up along beach for about a 

 mile and then inland to the swampy country, and work along the edge 

 to north. Bird life fairly plentiful. Silvery-crowned and Little Friar- 

 Birds, Peaceful and Barred-shouldered Doves, Red-winged Parrots, 

 White Cockatoo, Northern Thickheads, Honey-eaters (5. indistincta end 

 C. albogularis) , a Coucal (Centropits phasiamnus). Yellow Oriole, small 

 flock of Black-ringed Finches and a large flock of Chestnut-breasted 

 Finches (mostly immature specimens), and Red-backed Wrens noted. 

 Spotted Harrier flying past over head; pair of Forest Kingflshers 

 seen. Nearly all cabbage gums growing in and around the swamp 

 here. Circle round through forest country; no bird-life of any kind 

 in it. Go along to belt of scrub noted on the 1st, and work through 

 it thoroughly. Wood Fantails and Flycatcher seen, also Rainbow 

 Pittas; found more old nests of this bird. Brown Thickhead and Pied 

 Catei-pillar-eater only other birds seen ;n the scrub. Go back to 

 swamp and saw only three Finches — the Black-banded and the Chest- 

 nut-breasted. Return to camp about 1 p.m. Youngfellow and a dozen 

 more natives were at the camp; they were after tobacco. Gave them 

 enough to make a couple of cigarettes. Have lunch and set to work 

 on the birds. Swarms of flies here now; must have come along with 

 the natives. Took me nearly all the afternoon to fix up specimens. 

 Natives continually pestering me for more tobacco, but wouldn't give 

 them any. Tried to make Youngfellow understand that they were 

 all to keep away from the camp, but it was no go. Just befoie sunset 

 a couple of them brought a few plates of turtle-shell, and I gave them 

 some tobacco for it; then they all left and camped about half a mile 

 away on the beach. A Whistling Eagle (Haliastiir sphctmnis) was seen 

 circling high over camp during the afternoon. A Little Falcon (Falco 

 longipennis) , flew swiftly past at sunset. Very hot to-day. 



4/.5/21. — Take Kosia with me to carry rifle, and go S.W. along the 

 beach and behind the mangroves for a mile and a half. Strike a 

 fairly big stretch of marshy country thickly grown with giant Paper- 

 barks (Melaleuca) , palms, ferns, and vines, and with a fringe of good 

 scrub (jungle) along the edge. Work through the scrub fringe for 

 half a mile. A single Green-backed Fly-eater seen; Brown Thick- 

 heads and Brown Honey-eaters only other birds seen. Old nesting 

 mound of Scrub-Fowl seen. Leave the sci-ub and go through a big 

 stretch of white sandy country covered with fairly dense growth of 

 low, tangled thicket. A single FavvTi-breasted Kingfisher seen here. 

 Strike a stretch of water-logged countiy half a mile across, covered 

 with small paperbarks. No bird-life seen. Strike a fairly big tidal 

 creek fringed with mangroves and follow this up some distance. A 

 Red-winged Parrot flushed from a hollow 1.5 feet from the ground 

 in a bloodwood. Start to climb, and a fairly fledged young one flew 

 from the hollow; nothing else in it. A little further on a rock-bar 

 crosses the creek. This is the limit of tidal waters; good stream of 

 fresh water comes in here. Continue along the creek for about a 

 mile; fine large fresh water holes in it. Good forest country on both 

 sides, but no bird-life of any kind to be seen or heard. Head through 

 the forest to the Bluffs, and back to camp along the base of them. 

 Single Little Wood-Swallow procured, and a Brown Thnjsh. Several 

 old nests of Babblers noted; did not see any of the birds. Party of 

 Red-backed Wrens seen with one bright male. Nearing camp saw a 

 Chestnut-rumped Pardalote. Reach camp about 2 p.m. Afterwards 

 went to see if I could find the Magpie noted on the 2nd; no luck. Saw 



