Il6 From Magazines^ (S^c. [^ 



Emu 

 St Oct. 



by previous collectors (individually mentioned by Mr. Hall), 

 nevertheless Mr. Hall was enabled to pick up a few " strays " 

 — namely, CinclorhampJms rufescens (Rufous Song-Lark), 

 Halcyon sanctus (Sacred Kingfisher), Petraca goodenovii (Red- 

 capped Robin), and PJiaps elegmis (Brush Bronze-wing). At the 

 end of the article, in the form of an appendix, is a " Revised 

 List of the Birds (48 species) Found on the Houtman's Abrolhos 

 and their Nesting Dates." Regarding the description of the 

 wonderful bird congregations there, the writings of Gilbert and 

 other former visitors to the locality are fully confirmed, with a 

 few fresh sidelights added. Here is an example : In men- 

 tioning the Sooty Terns and Noddies nesting in close proximity 

 to each other, he states : — " When some of the eggs are ex- 

 changed the birds make no objection, but ' sit on.' The 

 ' Noddies ' will hatch the ' Sooties' ' eggs, and feed the young 

 until they are ready to run about, but no longer." 



Touching Petrceca campbelli, Mr. Hall's field observations 

 confirm this species of Dr. Bowdler Sharpe. " I was specially 

 pleased," Mr. Hall states, "to find between 15 and 20 indi- 

 viduals of this species in the hill-country of Western Australia, 

 and each time to note the large black cap and small white fore- 

 head that convinced me of its being distinct from the eastern 

 P. leggUr 



On the other hand, in the author's opinion Rliipidura prcissi 

 (Western Fantail) is identical with the familiar R. albiscapa of 

 eastern parts. 



Regarding the western White-naped Honey-eater {MelitJireptus 

 chloropsts), Mr. Hall writes : — " From personal observations, and 

 from my collection of skins, I conclude that there is a western 

 representative of M. lunulatus^' and questions the wisdom of Dr. 

 Gadow in amalgamating the two species {vide Brit. Mus. Cat, 

 vol. ix., p. 204). Mr. Hall was probably not aware that the 

 species had again been separated in a more recent work — 

 " Nests and Eggs " (Campbell), page 361. 



Mr, Hall has a " passion " for Pardalotes. Here is a good 

 sample of elaboration : — " I secured a specimen of a Pardalote 

 to determine the species, and concluded that it was P. affinis. 

 Upon re-examination at home I was very much surprised to find 

 the wings marked with white as in P. ornatus, while the bold 

 specula were yellow. This constituted a phase not hitherto 

 recorded, as P. ornatus is only known to assume the scarlet 

 tipping. If the sub-species, P, assimilis, is allowed to have so 

 wide a range in the colouring of the speculum as scarlet, 

 crimson, orange, or yellow, the same may be the case here. I 

 feel disposed to consider it merely a matter of time to discover 

 that birds with the scarlet and lemon specula exist in one or 

 more areas of the Continent, and then the species will be placed 

 on the same footing as the sub-species as regards the speculum. 



" As for the species, P, affinis (always yellow-tipped), I believe 



