Vo .IV. 



1905 



J The Coloured Plate. I 8 S 



in his field observations, remarked that the l;ird was first observed 

 running over piled-up masses of red and black sandstone, with 

 which the colouring oi its plumage harmonized so })erl'ectly that 

 it might easily ])ass unnoticed. The bird was named by Mr. A. W. 

 Milligan after Dr. House, who acted as naturalist to the North-West 

 Exploration Expedition, led by Mr. F. S. Brockman. The nest 

 and eggs are undescribed. 



Xerophila castaneiventris (Chestnut-bellied Whiteface). — This 

 species was also first discovered by Mr. J. T. Tunney at Pindar, in 

 the Murchison district of Western Australia, but as he obtained 

 only one skin, and that a bad one. it could not be declared a new 

 species until further skins were obtained. These were eventually 

 secured for the Western Australian Museum by Mr. Frederick 

 Lawson, in the district named. The birds associate in small com- 

 panies, and prefer the red soils. They are ground feeders. The 

 bird was named and described by Mr. A. W. Milligan* and the eggs 

 by Mr. A. J. Campbell, C.M.B.O.U.t 



Obituary. 



The news of the death of Mr. Harry E. Hill, at Kalgoorlie, W.A., 

 on 28th February last, from typhoid fever, has been received with 

 the deepest regret by his friends in Victoria. Mr. Hill was a valued 

 member of the A.O.U. He acted for several years as honorary 

 curator of the Gordon College Museum, and in that capacity did 

 excellent work in classifying the museum specimens for the first 

 time upon a scientific basis. He was editor of The Geelong 

 Naturalist, and later of The Wombat, and by his field notes pub- 

 lished from time to time in The Emu and in the journals named he 

 contributed much to our knowledge of the birds of the Geelong 

 district and the Eastern Otway. He continued his ornithological 

 work in Western Australia, and only a few weeks before he died he 

 wrote to the editors to say that he hoped soon to be able to send 

 over full field notes on the birds of Kalgoorlie. Mr. Hill was a man 

 of a quiet disposition, who never sought popularity, but whose 

 friendship was all the more valued by those who knew him best. 

 As an ornithologist he was a painstaking and enthusiastic worker, 

 one who put the science he loved foremost and himself last. The 

 cause of ornithology can ill afford his loss. 



Corrections. 



Vol. IV., p. 45. — Under heading Fairy Martin, 5th line — Trans- 

 pose the months September and August, so as to read " from 

 middle of August to early in September." 



Vol. IV., p. 46. — Under heading Coucal, " east of Townsville " 

 should read " west of Townsville." 



*Einu, vol. iii., p. 70. f Emu, vol. iii., p. 120. 



