30 White. Field Oruiihology in South Atisiralia. [isf^u'v 



Corcorax was only seen in the interesting belt of mallee at the south- 

 west end of the ranges, where a small colony of 6 or 8 birds came 

 under notice. A nest of the usual mud type was found placed on a 

 horizontal branch 50 or 60 feet from the ground, in a white gum (a few 

 of these trees were found on the flats amongst the thick malleeV 

 The nest contained three eggs ; incubation well advanced ; date, 7th 

 September, 191 2. The long-drawn, loud, and movirnful call of these 

 birds sounds most weird amidst the silence of the bush. Their 

 strange hopping movements when on the ground or passing from 

 branch to branch, often with the wings partially extended, are very 

 noticeable. 



Aphelocephala leucopsis. Whiteface. — Whitefaces were noticed 

 everywhere — upon the vast salt-bush plains, in the myall and mallee 

 scrubs, amidst the great boulders of granite outcrops, and in rockv 

 gorges — sometimes in small parties and at others in pairs. They 

 were nesting in hollow trees, cracks in the rocks, in abandoned nests 

 of the Pomalorhinus . We found fresh eggs, also fully-fledged young. 

 When moving about the birds were continually uttering a low, 

 chirruping note. We kept a sharp look-out for Gould's A. pecioralis, 

 but never saw a bird to resemble it. I am of the opinion that there was 

 some mistake in the locality from which he procured the type One 

 stomach contained leg of grasshopper and part of plant- bug (Gentel- 

 leridce). 



Neositta pileata. Black-capped Tree-runner. — Noticed these birds 

 once during the trip, at the south-east end of the ranges. A small 

 party was very busy looking for food amongst the black oaks. Their 

 shrill, chattering call drew our attention to them ; they seein in- 

 variably to make this chattering call when on the wing. 



Climacteris rufa. Rufous Tree-creeper. — We had not penetrated 

 that interesting belt of mallee already described 20 yards before 

 this fine bird was seen creeping up the bole of a giant mallee, and 

 the next few days' observation proved that they were very numerous. 

 We felt sure they must be nesting, but could not flush a bird from a 

 hollow, so sat down and took a bird each under observation. In half 

 an hour one flew to a nest (after trying every ruse to decoy us — 

 flying away in a most unconcerned manner, but returning, hopping 

 about on the ground as if nothing troubled, 8cc.) At first it passed 

 in and out of all the hollow spouts but the one where the nest was. 

 At last the female entered one and did not come out, and on in- 

 vestigating we found the nest. Subsequently we must have discovered 

 about 20 nests. Unfortunately, all contained very young birds or 

 heavily-incubated eggs ; date, first week in September. All must 

 have started to nest about the same time. The " old man " mallee 

 trees at Donald's Plain, affording so many hollows, were ideal places 

 for Tree-creepers to nest in. This bird's favourite nesting-site is in 

 a leaning tree, especially leaning away from the prevailing winds, 

 which are south-west. No rain ever enters the hole. The opening 

 to the nest is generally about 7 feet from the ground (but we saw some 

 10 to 15 feet), and the nest proper is usually 4 to 5 feet down, and 

 consists of soft bark placed on the decayed wood, with a few feathers 

 as a lining, and sometimes a little opossum or rabbit fur. The clutch 

 varies from one to three eggs, but most two. The call, although 

 distinctly Climacterine, is more feeble than others of the genus ; 

 also, more time is spent on the ground hunting for food than I have 

 observed with other members of this family. The examination of 



