136 



[Whilst at Fitzroy River T was frequently told of a very rare 

 bird, which was described as black, with a white spot in each 

 wing, and advised to keep a sharp lookout for it along the course 

 of the rivers. I did so, with the result that the rara avis proved to 

 be the Roller or Dollar bird. They were rather shy, and 

 generally perched on the top branches of the highest trees. As 

 they were all in heavy moult at the time (January), I did not 

 shoot many. 



No. 18. Merops ornatus (Australian Bee-eater). 



Merops ornatus, Lath., Ind. Orn., vol. II., Suppl., p. 35 (1801); 

 Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., vol. II., pi. 16(1848); Sturb, Exped. 

 Centr. Austr., vol. II., App., p. 19 (1849) ; Ramsay, Proc. Linn. 

 Soc, N.S.W., vol. IL, 2nd series, p. 166 (1887); North, Nests 

 and Eggs Austr. Bds., p. 34 (1889); Sharp, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., vol. XVIL, p. 74 (1892). 



Three young females. Camp about five miles from the junction 

 of the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers. 



[Although the Bee-eater is generally found tunnelling in the 

 banks of creeks at breeding time in North-West Australia, they 

 more frequently burrow in the sand on the open plain. During 

 Januar}'^ they became quite a feature in the bird-life around our 

 camp, and I had many opportunities of examining most gorgeous 

 specimens as they flew past, or permitted me to approach within 

 a few yards of the trees on which they were perched. The 

 majority of them appeared to be young ones, but adult birds in 

 full livery were frequently noted.] 



No. 19. EuROSTOPODUs ARGUS (Spotted Nightjar). 



Earostopodiis guttatus, Gould (nee. Vig. and Horsf.), Bds. 

 Austr., fol., vol. II., pi. 8 (1848) ; Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc, 

 N.S.W., vol. L, 2nd series, p. 1,097 (1886) ; North, Nests and 

 Eggs Austr. Bds., p. 27, pi. 11, fig. 2 (1889). 



Eurostopus argus, Hartert, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. XYL, 

 p. 608 (1892). 



One female in the moult. Camp about five miles from the 

 junction of the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers. In vol. XVI. of 

 the " Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum," Mr. Hartert 

 points out that the type specimen of the Nightjar, described by 

 Vigors and Horsfield under the name of Caprimulgus guttatus 

 is only the young of Eurostopodus albiguloris. 



[During the early part of our journey the peculiar note of this 

 bird gave rise to a considerable amount of speculation as to its 

 origin, but at Mount Campbell I not only got the required 

 information from the natives, but also satisfied myself by shooting 

 the bird whilst uttering it. This note consists of a " caw, caw, 



