Vol. II 1.1 

 i9°3 J 



LITTLER, Notes on Some Birds Peculiar to Tasmania. 89 



the next hardly a bird was to be seen or heard. In summer it 

 resorts to the mountain slopes, returning to the plains as winter 

 approaches. The harder the winter frosts, the more plentiful is 

 the bird expected to be. The thickly-wooded plains are warmer 

 than the mountain slopes. It soon becomes very wild after being 

 shot at, and is therefore difficult to approach, giving the alarm 

 and taking flight at the least sign of danger. I have heard of the 

 Wattle-Bird, when feeding in honeysuckles (banksia), allowing 

 one to approach really close, but have had no experience of this 

 personally, for my dealings with the species have always been 

 among the topmost twigs of lofty eucalypts. It moves in flocks, 

 which greatly vary in number. I do not know whether as a rule 

 the Wattle-Bird sleeps at its feeding ground, but at the first 

 glimmer of daylight it can be heard among the tree tops. I have 

 watched large flocks leaving their feeding ground at dusk, and 

 moving further into the bush. 



The voice of this species is most remarkable, and once heard 

 is not easily forgotten or mistaken for that of any other bird. 

 The cry is loud and harsh, and is between a cough and a scolding 

 voice suffering from a cold in the throat. When two birds are 

 quarrelling their voices sound very harsh and discordant. 



Birds Occurring in the Region of the North-West 



Cape. 



By Thomas Carter. 

 Part II. 



(41.) Ephthianura albifrons (White-fronted Chat). — The first noted 

 occurrence of this bird was on the coast (14th February, 1899), when some 

 natives called my attention to what was to them a strange bird (their 

 eye-sight being stimulated by rewards of tobacco, &c, for any new bird or 

 e gg s )- There were considerable flocks of these birds about that date, but 

 they did not remain long. A few were seen about 10th May. A casual 

 visitor. 



(42.) Ephthianura AURIFRONS (Orange-fronted Chat). — Occurs spar- 

 ingly on the coast after rains. The following are dates when seen : — 18th 

 August, 1894; March, 1898; 16th July, 1898; October, 1898; 12th 

 January, 1899; 25th March, 1900 ; and 12th July, 1902. They were 

 rather numerous in the winter of 1903, and one of my employes took a 

 clutch of three eggs on 28th August, which were unfortunately broken. 



(43.) Ephthianura tricolor (Tricolored Chat). — In some seasons this 

 charming bird was one of the commonest species, hundreds of them being 

 seen perching on the fence wires when boundary riding. In 1898, a 

 hurricane year, they were particularly numerous, but since that season 

 few were noted. I have frequently seen three or four drowned in troughs 

 for watering stock. On two occasions an egg of the Chalcococcyx basalis 

 (Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo) was found in the nest of this bird — one on 

 6th March, 1898. The nest is built in the top of a low bush, and occasion- 

 ally in a large bunch of spinifex. Four eggs were once found, but three 

 is the_ usual clutch, laid very regularly about 14th July. 



