ISt 



Emu 

 Oct. 



producing flower. The extremely dry summer drove some 

 birds south of their usual haunts, and several flocks of Straw- 

 necked Ibis were seen, and only a few days ago a beautiful 

 specimen of the Sanguineous Honey-eater (Afysome/a san- 

 guineolentd) was obtained by me here (Somerville) — a new 

 bird for this district. In conclusion, I cannot refrain from 

 drawing attention to the fact that the drainage of those 

 immense swamps, the Carrum Carrum and the Kooweerup, has 

 deprived countless thousands of Ducks, Swans, Spoonbills, &c., 

 of their natural food, and, as a consequence, where one used to see 

 many thousands of these birds now none are to be seen. As a 

 result also they are deprived of perhaps the finest nesting areas 

 in this State. If I may be permitted I should like to add a 

 word of praise re the protection of the Kangaroo, as, though it 

 had practically disappeared, since protection has been accorded 

 several mobs of lo to 15 may be seen near here. — Geo. E. 

 Shepherd, Somerville, 30/6/02, 



Notes from Point Cloates (N.-W.A.) — 5th January, 1902. 

 — Painted Finches {Emblema picta) are becoming much more 

 numerous in this locality. On this date and for some weeks 

 afterwards they were constantly seen. 



5th February. — I was about 60 miles inland from here, where 

 there is much " claypan " country. As there had been a heavy 

 thunderstorm previously, the flats were covered with water, and 

 birds numerous. Red-necked Avocets, White-headed Stilts, 

 Coots, and various Ducks were very abundant, and there were 

 also numbers of Black Swan and Marsh Terns [H. Jiybrida). A 

 Black-fronted Dottrel (^. inelanops) that fell to my gun was 

 just on the point of laying, and by the side of a pool was a 

 Magpie Lark's {Grallma) nest with four eggs. A little distance 

 out on the gra'ssy flat was a nest of Mh^afra woodwardi (Rufous 

 Bush-Lark) containing five fresh eggs. The nest was found 

 through seeing the female bird persistently creeping close round 

 the camp fire at dusk. Concluding the bird had a nest, my 

 native boy and self kept quiet, and were rewarded by seeing her 

 settle on the eggs. The nest was deep, being below the surface 

 of the ground, in a hollow, and snugly concealed in a tuft of 

 green grass. The eggs correspond with Mr. Hall's description 

 {Vict. Nat., September, 1901), On the way home we found a 

 nest of Tawny Frogmouth, with two eggs, built 15 feet from 

 the ground, in a mallee tree overhanging the road. I have 

 previously taken eggs of this bird in the months of July and 

 October (31st). 



23rd February. — Shot a female White-tailed 'R.ohm {Eopsaltrta 

 pulverulentd) in a dense patch of mangroves near the North- 

 West Cape, and an hour or two after, within a few yards, what 

 appears to be an immature Grey-breasted Robin {E. georgiana), 



