ASHBY—The llu-ds of the Mallcf. 11 



iiiallec a mile or so hcyoiid Woodchoster and travelled contin 

 uonsly in the niallee for some miles alonj; the road that Avas 

 metalled 40 or (>() years ago. with the intention of its becoming 

 the main coach road to Melbourne, via Wellington. The 

 road as far as we traversed it is still in excellent condition for 

 motoring. The original heaps of metal, broken probably more 

 than half a century ago. are still met with every few chains, 

 but as there is practically no traffic; the road has never needed 

 repair. We penetrated the mallee for several miles and only 

 met with one settler's cottage, and that was uninhabited. We 

 met the owner of the few sheep that are run in this bush and 

 he told us that a few pairs of the Mallee Hen Leipoa ocellata 

 still nes't each year about a mile off the road. We made some 

 attempt to find a fresh nest but were unsuccessful, although 

 we saw several old ones. The road is known as Chances Line, 

 a gentleman of that name having been instrumen'tal in getting 

 the road made into the mallee at the public expense. We 

 reached the furthest point of our journey by 9.15 a.m. and con- 

 menced our field w-ork at that hour. 



A Phaps chalcoptera (Bronzewing Pigeon) was flushed as 

 we pulled up the car, but while several Bronzewings were seen 

 the rarer Pliups elegant was not identified. One of the first 

 true mallee birds met with was Hi/hicohi (■(iiita. and hiter on 

 several syjecimens were secured, the cock birds especially at 

 sunrise pouring forth their sweet melody from the top of some 

 low mallee or other bush. The movements of this 

 bird are almost as mouse-like as those of the Slericornis. 

 Mr. McGilp was successful in finding a nest with a 

 full clutch of eggs partly incubated, placed under a 

 fallen bough. We thought that both the Redthroat, 

 PjirrJioJaeinuf! hrunneus and Calamanthus campestrh were 

 both heard and seen, as no specimens were obtained the 

 identification must be considered doubtful. Of Honey 

 Eaters, those most in evidence were the two (iliriphila 

 albifrfiits *inccrta. and (i. malaiiops chandlrrL it was 

 seldr>m that their whistle was not to be heard. Nests 

 with both young and eggs of the latter species were found 

 but only one nest in the course of building of the 

 former. The low yet penetrating double call of the Scrub 

 Robin (Drt/modes hnovieopuf/ia) called our attention 

 to its whereabouts and after a considerable amount of search 

 it was seen running ray)idly from clump to clump. A pair wer.-^ 

 .<]]ot. the female liaviiiLT a fully developed egg in its ovary. 



