CHENERY— Notes on Birds. Ill 



An early start ou the inorniug of the 14th eual)k'd us to 

 reach our destination for that day — Mount ^?turt homestead, 

 about IG miles west of Mitparinlca. While having- breakfast 

 on the road, after leaving Fowler's <Jap, the first Crested 

 Wedgebills were heard singing. Bennett's Crows' nests were 

 seen between Cobham Lake and Milparinka, but those examined 

 were empty of eggs or young. After spending the night at 

 Mount Sturt. where we received the usual open-handed hospi- 

 tality from Mr. Arthur Bartlett and his family, we left for 

 Yandanna Station, which is owned by Sir S. Kidman and is 

 stocked with cattle. There is little doubt in my mind that 

 since this owner acquired so many of these West Darling runs 

 and stocked them with cattle in place of the sheep, the natural 

 herbage, especially saltbush, has revived to a marked extent, 

 and the country, at any rate in a good season, has lost the 

 barren asj)ect so often to be noticed where sheep are heavily 

 stocked. Two miles from Mt. Sturt h(uuestead. on open stony 

 tableland, we saw our tirst Australian Dottrell. It was only 

 a single bird, and we failed to Hush its mate, if it possessed 

 one. Later on we came on a family of five birds, evidently 

 parents and fledged young. AVhile making a short examination 

 .of a grove of gidgsa some miles further on many Bennett's 

 Crows' nests were seen and one set of six fresh eggs olitained. 

 A Treecreejiei' — which 1 believe was the ordinary brown 

 variety — was seen here, and Acanthhu uropjjfjialiH was found 

 nesting in its favourite situation — ^^between a loose j)iece of 

 bark and the trunk of the tree. This nest contained three eggs. 

 Numerous Zebra Finches were nesting, and eggs were in most 

 of the nests. A solitary — as they usually a^jpear to be — Little 

 Eagle was also noted, but no eggs were found, although one 

 nest was found prepared for eggs. There are generally a few 

 green gum leaves in the nests of both this species and those 

 of the Whistling Eagle. The Kite appears to prefer dried 

 cow manure, or some material which closely resembles it, for 

 a linina". In a needlewood, out in more open country, a second 

 set of six fresh Bennett's Crows' eggs were obtained. One may 

 as well remark here that this time, mid-August, appears to be 

 the laying time for these birds, and I am not exaggerating 

 when. I say that one could have filled a large billy-can with their 

 eggs during the three weeks we travelled round and then have 

 had some to sj»are. The same remarks a])ply to the nesting of 

 the Bare-eyed Cockatoo and the Galah. A solitary Little 

 Falcon was aeen hawking out on the tablelands, but where its 

 home was situated remains a mystery, as no second bird was 

 seen along the nearest creek, when we reached it, nor yet in the 

 OidA'ea, 



