Will TE —Observations at Ootdea. 89 



The specimens were taken and identiliecl by the writer, yet 

 Mr. LeHouef contradicts this. Mr. LeJ^^ouef says under 

 Maluriis nielanotiis. Black-baclied Wren — "I did not collect a 

 specimen, 1 pnt them down as M. mclanotus from locality and 

 tield observations." Now the lilack-backed Wren is not 

 found in any such locality for all Orniitholof»ists know this 

 species (il/. ntclaaofi(s) is contined to the mallee belts of the 

 Murray. Since Mr. Ix'Souef wrote the letter (pioted above, he 

 visited Ooldea and on his way through Adelaide left skins of 

 Mahn-us cakiinus with Mr. Zeitz, Ornithologist to the S.A. 

 Museum, evidently for identification, thus showing- he did not 

 know the bird when he handled it, for they are all M. calainus. 

 Speaking of the Owls, Mr. LeSouef says, "On looking into the 

 hole 1 was surprised to see two large dark owls and not the cave 

 or light form of the marked I was expecting. The birds were 

 only in sight for a few seconds, but they iwere dark brown with 

 absolutely no white on them, certainly darker than any phase 

 of the masked that T have ever seen." Now T to(^)k an owl from 

 the very hole that Mi'. LeSouef named and it is Tijto novuehol- 

 hirnlcac which is much whiter on the breast than tlie Marked or 

 I'arn Owl. The whole of the under-surface being white with 

 the absence of almost any markings. 



S. A. WHITJ]. 



Bird Notes. 



' .June, 1921. 



By Edwin Ashby, lUackwood. 



June 11. — Nest of .lr(/»^///.:o ut Wittunga. ."i feet high 

 in apple tree, 3 eggs partly set. Painted Quail at Eden Hills, 

 3 young, almost fledged, in nest. 



June in.— Musky Parakeets in large flocks flying north- 

 wards and continued so-doing for the following week. 



•June 23. — flcobiiftUruH rhrj/.^iorrlux'a. A nest commenced 

 10 days previously, now ready for eggs, birds lining with a few 

 final feathers. Situated S feet high in bunch of Loranthv-s 

 exocarpi. Greenfinches been calling for days, have not heard 

 them till quite recently. Little Brush Wattle birds have only 

 put in an appearance for a week or two and are now very 

 numerous. 



Glydphila fulvifrons have recently commenced Iheir spring: 

 whistle. 



