Vol. 11. 



igo2 



J Carter, Exploration of the North- West Cape. 7^ 



but with a dry bed. I got out to walk as the buggy jolted 

 over half a mile of boulders and coarse shingle. The sea reef 

 comes close to the beach here, which is formed of shingle and 

 broken shell. A pair of Large-billed Stone Plovers {Ortho- 

 rJianiphus) flew heavily away in company with several Reef 

 Herons and Caspian Terns. There is always an Osprey's nest 

 about here, and this year it is an immense structure, built on 

 a prostrate log left by some flood. Standing on the log I was 

 just able to see over the edge of the nest, which was more 

 than 5 feet in height and about 3 feet in diameter. It con- 

 tained no ec^gs, but fresh tufts of seaweed and coarse grass 

 were being added to the lining. Close to the nest was a sheet 

 of flat rock, with numerous cavities, which I was pleased to see 

 were filled with rain water, and it saved us cleaning out the next 

 "soak," which is in an awkward place, with only very moderate 

 quality of water. I coo-eed to the native to bring the buggy, 

 and we hobbled out, then walked over the flat to where the 

 creek emerges from the ranges between great cliffs. We 

 scrambled along the top on one side to inspect a Wedge-tailed 

 Eagle's nest previously seen. It is built on a stunted tree 

 growing out of the face of the cliff, but on getting above it we 

 saw it was apparently deserted, so returned down the bed of the 

 creek, shooting two handsome striped rock wallaby on the 

 way. We went further north in the afternoon and camped early 

 to explore another similar deep gorge, but without any result 

 except temporarily losing my dog, who, seeing so many rock 

 kangaroo, or wallaby, hopping towards the flat for their evening 

 meal, could not resist a chase, but returned safely, and I shot a 

 kangaroo to take on the road. Next morning the travelling was 

 heavy, as the sandy ground was honeycombed by a species of 

 rat, making the horses afraid to move. We passed a large belt 

 of mangroves where novelties in the bird line have been pre- 

 viously procured, but had to proceed two miles further to 

 procure waten This is about 10 feet down a cave, which was 

 almost filled with kangaroo and wallaby bones and dung, 

 sticks, sand, stones, &c. An hour's hard work with the shovel 

 procured a supply of black, evil-smelling water, but our horses 

 drank it. After dinner we took the water-bags and prospected 

 the range in hopes of finding more rain water, and were 

 successful. Camped in the dense thicket round the water. 

 Wedge-bills' {Sphenostonia) and Spiny-cheeked Honey-eaters' 

 {AcanthochcEra rufigularis) songs were heard all over, but the 

 birds were invisible. The sand-flies worried us dreadfully until 

 sundown, then the mosquitos relieved them. 



Next morning we went back to the mangroves. In one place 

 a large open sheet of water is surrounded by mangroves and 

 studded with patches of rock and dead logs. Pelicans, Curlews, 

 White-fronted and Reef Herons, and Crested Terns were 

 abundant. There were also a few Red-capped Dottrels {^gialttzs 



