34 CllENIlRY— Birds ul Western iJarlvi;/. 



.Ui'oniid. This was rather a surjn'iso to me, as my ])revi()us 

 ('X|t(M'i('i!r(' of (lie iicsliiii;- of It'hesc birds was in lii^h j^iim-lrccs. 

 well (Mil (if luv reach. A !V\v behitcd Silver (lulls {linn-li'Hiitr'xt 

 iKjfdi -liolhiiididc) were ij('s1in<;- ai the edjies of the hushes, the 

 iieste conhiiiiiu^ only one or two e,u,us. The re.milar iiestiii;.' 

 season was louii ov<'r. Jii(li;in<i hy I he 'ninihcr of dead young' 

 iiulls lying- about. The only ot'her l)irds seen were the Sooty 

 Oyster-ratcluM- { H (k nid topifs luiicolor \ , a ])air of ^^■hi(•ll hiinir 

 abouil I he corner of the island as though br(nMling there. i 

 could noi lind either nest or young. The Little (Irass IVwd 

 \ Mri/dlnriis (fni iiiiii'iis ) . which was in lair iinnihei-s in the 

 l)ush<'s. was (|uile sih'nl and evidently not nesting. .\l>out 

 five o'clock in I he evening a stiff blow came u]» and we had !(► 

 leave Ihe island in a huii'y. I'orlions of llie huge island \\o,r 

 i)(}\ i)ro])erly <'\aniined. and lieing densely co\ered with low 

 bushes I think il likely ilial lliey may he llw main nesting-phov 

 of the Xaidu'en Herons, nianv of which were sei-n there. 



Notes on Birds seen during a Recent Visit to the 

 Western Darling, N.S.W. 



Fart II. 



By A. (''h(Mi(M-y. 



hea\ing our ii'a\('lling coni|>anions and the bhickixiys a1 

 the camp, JJr. .Macgilli\i-ay. Ian, and niyselt set olf on foot lor 

 llie i.^land in lln' lal^e \ isible iii ihe disiance. A few \\'lii).' 

 v\ inge<l \\'r<'ns, ( )rai!ge-fronied ('lials, aii<l a solilai-y lliowii 

 Hawk wei-e Hie only birds inhabiting this desolate waste of 

 powdery sand. co\eriiig wjml-swe])l liumuKH-ks more or less 

 encru^<led with sail. The isurface of ihe lake pi-oper was 

 danij) and co\ered willi a glistening crnsi of saline, into whicli 

 one's feel sank for a few inclus. Afler co\-ei-ing aboul l.Ontl 

 yards of I his hea\y going, \^■e reached the island, which A\a-; 

 duly e.\plor<Ml for f(»ssil remains, wilhoul success. A solitary 

 fox was started from the far side, and went away aci'oss the 

 lake surface for ihe far shore, and was still going until losf 

 sighi of. ilefoi-e lea ving cainp nexi morning a White l)reasled 

 Swallow's iH'st. conitaining four eggs, was dug out of a ban;< 

 and a relurn was made lo < 'allabonim Hul. 'picking U]) I >r. 

 .Macgilli\ ray's swag on ilu' way. This had been shaken out 

 of Ihe prolccling I'^trd bu(d<boai'd on the oulward journey on 

 the pre\ions e\-eniug. After I'uither discussion we lefl io 



