Vol. II. 

 1903 



I Stray Feathers. 2 2 1 



of the Bathurst burr. Numbers of dead and apparently starved 

 Jackasses. Absence of usual bird life very marked. 



22nd August. — Back to Clermont. Great number of Bronze- 

 winged Pigeons being shot round township ; forced in long 

 distances by failure of usual watering places. The majority 

 appear to camp the night near water, and drink before leaving 

 in the morning. 



26th August. — At Wolfang head station, about 7.30 p.m., 

 heard smash of crockery in pantry, and found Podargus on top 

 shelf The bird suffered itself to be caught and thrown ouf. 

 Forgetting that the surroundings did not assimilate, it assumed 

 a rigid attitude, with beak and tail in a straight line, to resemble 

 a piece of dead wood, and was evidently under the impression 

 we could not see it. When seized it did not struggle, and only 

 uttered one feeble " squawk." This was a repetition of a similar 

 performance on the previous evening, but, luckily for the bird, it 

 did not happen a third time to be attracted by the moths round 

 the lamp. 



8th September. — Last occasion on which I saw Red-capped 

 Robin. 



1 2th September. — About 250 Ibis visited the well I was 

 camped at near the Peak Range. The flock stopped the night 

 and left early next morning, and were, I think, prospecting for 

 young locusts, which until this drought were bred in millions 

 about the foothills of the range. 



15th September. — Five Emus at well, looking very drought- 

 stricken and ragged ; living for the most part on the stony fruit 

 of the Emu apple tree. 



5th October. — On Clermont township lagoon saw Teal, 

 Shovellers, White-eyed, Black, and Wood Ducks ; very tame, as 

 if realizing they were within the bounds of the municipality. 

 Bee-eaters, Fairy Martins, and Wood-Swallows fairly numerous. 



15th November. — At Langton, 2 p.m., solitary Swift circled 

 round house several times and departed eastwards. No others 

 noticed or reported. 



loth December. — Langton. Got Grallatorial bird on small 

 puddle hole left by thunderstorm ; skinned and forwarded for 

 identification.* Three similar birds were reported to me from 

 Clermont on the 9th inst. 



14th December. — 5.30 p.m. Very large flight of Swifts, 

 travelling west and in a great state of excitement, judging by 

 their rapid movements and constant cries. They made a very 

 interesting sight, with a dense black thundercloud as back- 

 ground, and just as the last of them disappeared the storm 

 burst and gave us a very welcome 46 points of rain. The most 

 noticeable features of the six months have been the almost total 

 disappearance of the Jackasses, which are usually plentiful, and 



* Greenshank. — Eds. 



