110 CHENERY—Xotcs on Birds. 



we saw tln-ouiihour the li-ip. Cuckoos also were nncominon — 

 in fact, the only one seen was an hnniatuve bird the sj>ecies 

 of which I could not determine — but T was told that both the 

 Channel Bill {t^cythrop!^ novtic-holhiiidUic) and the Keel 

 {Eudijnann/fi orieiitalis) visit Ihc district duriufi, the rainy 

 season. They are known here as elsewhere iu Australia as the 

 Biii and Little Storm Bird. 



Notes on Birds seen durini^ a Recent Visit to the 

 Western Darling, N.S.W. 



— By A. CiiKNKiiv. — 



After j(tiiiiuii' '^r. .Mac;Lii]li\ lay and liis son Ian 

 on August 12th at Broken ilill. our party left 

 that town next day on the tirst statue to Mil])a- 

 rinka. We travelled in a Ford with light lorry body. 

 Mr. and Mrs. \^'. E. Heywood, of Broken Hill, were also of 

 the party, and used their own Dodge car. Their intentio'D w^as 

 to spend a holiday in the back country and to traverse portion 

 of the route covered by C'apt. Sturt in his expedition into the 

 interior in 1S44-45. 



Our lime was therefore more given up to covering country 

 than to systematic ornithology, and the bird life met with pro- 

 bably did not inelude all the species that are to be found during 

 a good season such as the present one has been iu this portion 

 of our State. 



The tirst stage to Fowler's (lap ( T."! miles) was completed 

 by sundown and, while having tea by a gum creek, many Bai-e- 

 eyed Cockatoos and (ialahs were flushed from nesting hollows. 

 Everywhere along the road, which for part of the way winds 

 through the Barrier Range and then over open tablelands, her- 

 bage and wild Howers were abundant. In the vicinity of 

 Broken Hill at this time the Sturt Pea was in flower, and the 

 sight of an acre or more covered with the brilliant crimson and 

 black bh)oms of this i>lant was one which will not readily be 

 forgotten. Ringneck Parrots were also found at their hollows, 

 and Bennett's Crows were circling amongst the mulga timber 

 on the hillsides. This biid apj)ears to have quite a fondness 

 for doing aerial gymnastics, and was often noted during the 

 trip in gatherings of perhajis thirty to fifty birds all iu the air 

 together, flying around ai»i)areutly aimlessly. A single Black 

 Falcon was also identitii'd not fai- Croin Fowler's <!ap. 



