84 CIUJXERY— Notes ou Birds. 



On the inoiuiuj; of Tiie.sda,y, Uclober ■'>\h, \vc louud ilie 

 road.s still unlit Tor travel as I he creeks were still i-unning, and 

 liad to ti-es])ass Cor another da\ on Mrs. ( Vnii-ick's hosjiitalilv. 

 Dnrin.i; a walk down St. Ann's Creek a nest of Ked-lored Pai- 

 (lalote. some lo inches in the bank, conslstin<; of (piite a thick 

 outside layer of dried grass lined Avitli a tew feathers was 

 found containing three incubated eggs — a complete set for this 

 sjjecies, also two nests of Black-browed Wood Swallow with 

 young-, Zebra Finch with live eggs, and a Kite's nest with two 

 eggs. 1 u (►ted the tirst Yellow-tail Tit seen on the trip during 

 this Avalk. A nest of the Little Falcon with the bird in jiosses- 

 sion was seen later. As usual this was situated on the to[) of 

 the tallest tree on the creek, and (juite inaccessible to any of our 

 party. On the following morning we said our farewells to Clive 

 and Mrs. Conrick, the kindest and chee^riest of liosts, and s.tarted 

 on the eighteen mile run into he^ad station. Out on the table- 

 lands a sjjecinien of the Desert Chat was obtained and nume- 

 rous I'ratincoles weie seen but they did not apear to l)e nesting. 

 Hearing a song like that of the English wSkylark, we j)ulled up 

 and after some time Dr. MacGillivray secured a s])ecinien of the 

 bird which proved to be a species of song lark, Mirafra sccutida. 

 I was very charmed with ihin bird's note, while soaring high 

 above the ground it pours out a Hood of soug, partly its own 

 and partly imitations ot other species, and I noted perfect 

 reproductions of the Orouud Lark. ^Vhite-Avinged Wren, White- 

 face, Jilack-browed \^ ood Swallow, and others. One could 

 have si)ent more time listening to this delightful little songster 

 who, in my opinion, (piite e(iuals the Fnglish Skylark, but we 

 had to jmsh on. A deserted nest of the Desert Chat containing 

 one egg was found before we left the tablelands, and when we 

 reached the box timber near the C(M>per. the Tree Creepers were 

 again in evidence. We found all well at the head station after 

 our foitnight's absence and returned the Ford car to its owner. 

 Mr. Jack Conrick. 1 lio])e none the worse for the rather 

 strenuous work we had given the engine. 



Next morning was s|)ent along the Cooper by myself and 

 Dr. Mac<5illivray in securing some skins of the Tree Creeper. 

 We also found a i)air of Brown Fly-catchers commencing to 

 build, and some pairs of Black Honey -eaters. On the creek. 

 JVIicans. White Ibis. Uoyal and tlu' oi-dinary Spoon-bill. Coi-- 

 morants, Teal. White-eyed and Pink-eared Ducks were identi- 

 fied. A nest of T^adbeater's Cockatoo containing three young- 

 was ;ilso found. In the evening, after a swim in the Cooper. Ave 

 had instructions fron) Mi-. Conrick as to our return journey 

 and drank success to tlu' venture. 



