56 Dox-E. Migration of Swifts. [.sf'juiy 



Swifts and the Weather. — About ten days ago I had occasion 

 to proceed to Tasman Peninsula on a collecting trip for the 

 Museum. As we motored through the Dunalley district large 

 numbers of Swifts {Chcetura caudacuta) were observed flying very 

 low. Recalling to mind Mr. Stuart Dove's writings concerning 

 Swifts and the weather, I remarked to my companion that, in 

 accordance with the observations of one ornithologist, we might 

 expect a storm. He rather scorned the idea, and pointed to the 

 bright sunshine and other indications which would naturally 

 suggest fine weather. However, the Swifts turned out to be 

 better weather prophets than he anticipated, as, although we 

 commenced work at sunrise the next morning with every prospect 

 of a fine day, at about ii o'clock a strong southerly wind arose, 

 accompanied by rain. This observation serves to confirm Mr. 

 Dove's remarks. — Clive E. Lord. Tasmanian Museum, 3/3/19. 



Spine-tailed Swifts. — Mr. W. H. D. Le Souef writes : — " On 

 17th March I saw a number of Spine-tailed Swifts, mostly flying 

 high, passing over Melbourne and travelling north,- and also, as 

 usual, against a fairly strong north wind. They were evidently 

 migrating." 



Mr. J. Cecil Le Souef noticed large numbers of these fine 

 birds flying north over Koo-wee-rup, near the coast-line of 

 Victoria, on 7th March. These were evidently the same birds as 

 those seen by Mr. Dove two days before. — ^W. H. D. Le Souef. 



Notes on Nest and Eggs of Desert Bush-Chat 



(Ashbyia lovensis). 



By J. Neil M'Gilp, Moolawatana, Copley, S.A. 



The bird was first described by Mr. E. Ashby in The Emu, vol. x., 



page 251 ; nest and eggs first described by Capt. S. A. White in 



The Emu, vol. xvi., part 3, January, 1917. 



Though I have only been collecting since May, 1918, I have 

 always been interested in birds, and knew of the Desert Chat 

 some years ago, but did not know its name until Capt. White 

 asked me to look out for it last year. 



The name Desert " Bush "-Chat is rather misleading, for 

 the bird rarely takes to the low bushes, spending most of its time 

 on the ground. 



The call of the Desert Chat is rather a plaintive, piping call, 

 but mostly used at breeding time, just before nesting. I have 

 often seen this bird mount high in the air, almost perpendicular, 

 with the same motion of wings as the Song-Lark, but it invariably 

 returns to earth in a falling sort of way to almost the same spot 

 as it left the ground. All the time of ascending it gives a sharp 

 " Whit- whit- whit " ; at other times, when calling its mate, it 

 gives a sweetly pretty song. 



The bird generally nests after first rains, but also in Septemjjer. 



