26 White, Field Ovnithology in South Australia. [.st^'juiy 



Cinclosoma castanotum. Chestnut-backed Ground-Bird. — -Met with 

 these birds at the extreme western end of ranges and on Donald's 

 Plain. In the mallee a nest was discovered, situated in a depression 

 in the ground, close against a fallen mallee. The nest was constructed 

 of strips of bark and a few dry straws. The female sat very closely 

 on two eggs. She allowed my wife almost to tread upon her. The 

 bird's colouration harmonized so wonderfully with the dead timber 

 and bark that it was difficult to detect her. 



Cinclosoma cinaamomeum. Cinnamon Ground-Bird. — A pair of 

 these rare birds was met with on the side of a spinif ex-covered hill 

 near the shores of Lake Gairdner. One bird ran with great rapidity 

 under an acacia bush, and stood perfectly motionless to avoid 

 detection, and when flushed alighted under another bush and squatted 

 in the dead leaves. 



Pomatorhinus superciliosus. White-browed Babbler. — This bird was 

 one of the most numerous met with. Specimens were seen everywhere 

 — out on the plains and in the hills, even up to the top of the 

 highest mount. Hundreds of nests are built by these birds 

 and they do not seem to lay in lo per cent, of them. Judging 

 by the restless nature of these birds, one would think that they built 

 nests for lack of something better to do. We found these birds sitting 

 on clutches of two to five eggs, and in one instance flushed a bird 

 from a heavily incubated single egg. Many birds found out on the 

 clay country had their feathers stained such a deep red that one would 

 imagine at first sight that they were of a distinct species. Stomach 

 contained three larvae of moths. 



Calamanthus campestris. Field-Wren. — It is interesting to note 

 that Gould received the type of this species from the Port Augusta 

 district. We met with this bird all through the ranges, where it 

 keeps to the big salt-bush, and is seldom flushed, passing from 

 bush to bush (with feet just touching the ground and outstretched 

 wings) with great rapidity. One nest was found, composed of 

 dry grass and strips of bark from the salt-bush. It was placed 

 on the ground under a dead branch of a salt-bush ; dome-shaped, 

 rather depressed on top, and with the opening to the north. Nest 

 contained two naked young. The nest was only glanced into to see 

 the contents ; but in less than an hour the birds had pulled the nest 

 to pieces and carried every particle away. After these birds had 

 destroyed their home, what we took to be the male bird perched upon 

 a dead salt-bush and sang with such excitement that he nearly lost 

 his balance^a most unusual performance for these birds when danger 

 is near. 



Ephthianura albifrons. White-fronted Chat. — A few birds were met 

 with on the south side of the ranges, but they are not so numerous 

 as they are down south. 



Ephthianura tricolor. Tricoloured Chat. — Thinly dispersed through 

 the ranges — that is, the open timbered flats between the hills. They 

 seem to prefer a flat dotted over with myall or mulga to the open 

 plains. These birds were not nearly so numerous during this trip as 

 they were north-west of Port Augusta the season before. The stomach 

 contents of one bird was — two beetles {Forcicomus quadrimaculatvis), 

 one narrow plant-bug and two ladybird beetles {Coccinella transversalis). 



Ephthianura aurifrons. Orange-fronted Chat. — We met with fair 

 numbers of these pretty birds, mostly out on the salt-bush plains 



