Vo ]' '!''] CARTER, Birds Occurring in the Region of N.W. Cape. 95 



of these holes was slightly larger than the pipe, and when the tank was quite 

 full the birds could just get the tips of their beaks into the water beside the 

 pipe, and here numbers of them would stay all day sipping the water. I 

 have frequently been indebted to them for finding rock-holes containing 

 water on the ranges. 



(76.) MlRAFRA WOODWARDI (Rufous Bush-Lark). — These birds first 

 attracted my attention on 30th October, 1900, when driving about 30 miles 

 inland. They were dusting themselves in the red sand, and, appearing 

 very rufous. I shot three, and casually mentioned in a letter to Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell that I had secured some very rufous Bush-Larks. The skins 

 were overlooked in my cabinet until Mr. A. W. Milligan's description 

 appeared,* when I found my birds to be identical with those described. 

 They are tame in habit, and were only seen on the inland red sand plains. 

 They sit close in the grass, but occasionally perch in bushes, like the Ground- 

 Lark. On 5 th February, 1902, a nest containing four fresh eggs was 

 found, built in a hollow of the ground under a thick tuft of grass, so appar- 

 ently they breed after any rainfall. 



{77.) MlCROPUS PACIFICUS (White-rumped Swift). — A summer visitor, 

 usually seen when strong N.E. winds prevail, and a sure sign of rain or 

 unsettled weather. The natives call them " rain-brothers." On some 

 occasions they were seen in immense numbers, notably on 1st and 2nd 

 April, 1898, when a ceaseless stream of them was flying south from dawn 

 to dark, and on 2nd April a violent hurricane (" willy-willy," aboriginal) 

 practically destroyed Cossack and Roeburne in the further N.W. 



(78.) EUROSTOPUS ARGUS (Spotted Nightjar). — This nocturnal bird might 

 be flushed anywhere, but was nowhere plentiful. It was mostly seen 

 about the ranges and table-land behind, and would flit about camp fires 

 there at night. In the drought of 1889—91, when camped at the North- 

 West Cape, numbers of these birds flew about over the camp at night, 

 uttering their peculiar cry, well described by Mr. Keartland as " Caw-caw- 

 caw-gobble-gobble-gobblc." The natives have a very absurd superstition 

 about this bird also — i.e., that it steals small babies at night. 



(79.) PODARGUS STRIGOIDES (?) (Tawny Frogmouth). — Fairly common, but 

 not numerous. Seen mostly in the gorges of the ranges and in the inland 

 mallee. On 30th October, 1900, my buggy passed close under a male bird 

 sitting on two eggs in a mallee tree. They apparently breed after rain, 

 as other eggs were noted on 16th July, 1901, 7th February, 1902, and a 

 fledgling on 4th December, 1900. A man engaged in sinking a well for 

 me once shot one of these birds as it was perched on the windlass stand. 

 On dissection I found it to be crammed with large centipedes, which made 

 him regret having shot a bird so useful at a camp. The Podargi are 

 always difficult birds to identify. I have one skin from south-west and 

 two. from north-west. The latter are much more tawny in colour than 

 the other and wings are fully an inch shorter, but the general character 

 of plumage of all is much the same. It is strange that the natives here 

 call the bird " Morepork," which appears to be the general name all over 

 Australia. 



(80.) .Fgotheles NOV.E-HOLLANDLE (Owlet Nightjar). — Occurs sparingly 

 in the crevices of cliffs on the ranges, and also in gum spouts inland. 



(81.) MEROPS ORNATUS (Bee-eater). — This beautiful bird was fairly com- 

 mon about some of the inland creeks through the winter months until 



* Vict. Na(. t xviii., p. 25. 



