20 White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. [ist^'july 



could have fallen for a very long time. It was a trying time for 

 our horses — water scarce and little or no feed. We at last 

 struck good country again. What a transformation scene from 

 the bare, parched, red ground to come on to a carpet of flowers. 

 In places wild geraniums were up to the horses' sides. The 

 welcome note of the Brown Song-Lark {Cinclorhamphus cruralis) 

 was also cheering as we flushed the birds from the field of flowers. 

 Again miles upon miles of a broad plain between two ranges was 

 a perfect " garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers." Amongst the 

 brightest were the golden-yellow immortelles, Helipterum incanum 

 and Helichrysiim apiculatum. Although small flowers, they were 

 so massed as to resemble a veritable "cloth of gold," relieved by 

 patches and bands of white flowers. Conspicuous amongst these 

 were Helipterum floribundum and H. corymbiflorum. Again, an 

 acre or so of " Sturt pea" would dazzle the eye with its scarlet 

 splendour. 



On our arrival at Yardea, our depot, we were much perplexed 

 to find that our extra stores, which had left over a month 

 previously, had not arrived ; but, through the kindness of Mr. 

 Bailey, part owner and manager, we were enabled to continue 

 our journey next day, when we left the western end of the 

 Gawler Ranges and plunged into a thick mallee scrub. This 

 scrub was of the greatest interest, for, as far as I can tell, it starts 

 well over the border in Western Australia, and, with a sweeping 

 curve, ends abruptly at the western end of the Gawler Ranges. 

 There i«; not the slightest doubt that several Western forms of 

 birds have followed this belt of mallee by slow degrees eastwards 

 till the end was reached. They could go no further, the 

 country outside this belt of mallee being unsuitable for their 

 existence. Among the big mallee our camp was formed, and we 

 spent a few days collecting and making observations, which are 

 dealt with later on. The days spent at this permanent camp 

 were all too short. A few peculiar forms of plants came under 

 notice, such as the flowering shrub Olearia Muelleri, the bright yellow- 

 flowering, buttercup-like plant, Zygophyllum apiculatum, and the 

 bush known as Centipeda Cunninghami, of repulsive odour. In 

 damp situations a small grass-like plant, bearing a seed-pod in 

 shape of a kangaroo tail, attracted our attention owing to its 

 bright red colour ; I believed it to be Myosurus minimus. 



It was with regret that we left this camp and pushed on in a 

 more north-westerly direction. Later, we were compelled to 

 make in for stores. On reaching Yardea we were surprised to 

 ascertain that our supplies were not to hand, but received information 

 that the team was not many miles back on the track. We drove 

 along the track, meeting the team on the second day, and took 

 possession of the long-looked-for stores. From here we struck off 

 the track in a northerly direction and worked the country on to 

 Lake Gairdner. What a sight this big lake presents, with its miles 

 of glistening salt, which at times was covered with a few inches 

 of water in places ! The shore-line is very ^indented, forming 



