VoLXlIl.j White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. 31 



the stomach contents reveals a variety of ants. The following are the 

 contents of one stomach: — About 150 small caterpillars, one small 

 cockroach, 36 small ants (Iridomyrmea), 4 large ants, one sugar ant 

 (Camponotus nigriceps), 23 green-headed ants (Ectatomma metallicum), 

 one head of ant (possibly Pomeva lutea). one part of ant (not enough 

 for identificationV 



[Mr. Mathews has described the eggs of the foregoing species under 

 the name of C. rufa orientalis. Vide Austral Avian Record, vol. i.^ 

 No. 8, p. 196. — Eds.] 



Climacteris superciliosa White-browed Tree-creeper. — Met with 

 these birds at the south end of Lake Gairdner, amongst a dry, 

 scattered mulga scrub — one of the driest and most miserable pieces 

 of country we saw during the trip. Saw^ four birds only in many 

 miles of this country travelled through round the shores of the lake. 

 Their call is much louder, and the birds do not take to the ground 

 so much as C. rufa. They were under observation for some time, 

 while we were searching for their nest, and they showed no desire to 

 look for food on the ground as did C. rufa, but hopped along fallen 

 trees in the true Climacterine jerky fashion. 



Zosterops dorsalis. White-eye. — Zosterops were very scarce. Once 

 or twice in the scrub their plaintive note was heard, and the birds 

 seen hopping about amongst the low scrub and salt-bush. 



Dicaeum hirundinaceum, Mistletoe-Bird. — Wherever mistletoe 

 appeared throughout the ranges, this little bird was found, or its 

 sharp, piercing call heard amongst the myall scrub. In some places 

 there was hardly a myall that had not a large mistletoe suspended 

 from its branches. 



Pardalotus striatus Red-tipped Pardalote — Found wherever a 

 few gums were growing, generally in the water-courses ; but the birds 

 were not numerous. At Yardea head station a pair of these little 

 birds nested in the stone wall of an outhouse. 



Glyciphila albifrons. Wliite-fronted Honey-eater. — A few were 

 met with on the south side of the ranges, but were so wary that we 

 could not identify them ; but later on, when returning further north, 

 we found quite a number amongst the low shrubs that grew on the 

 banks of dry water-courses. One of their chief feeding plants is the 

 very pretty tree fuchsia (Correa speciosa), and from its many- 

 coloured flowers the birds seem to collect quite a quantity of honey 

 and insects. They have the true Glyciphila zig-zag flight, and utter 

 a sharp, loud note. The very strange habit of darting about with 

 outstretched neck and the body swaying from side to side, so common 

 to other members of the genus, is also very marked in this bird. 

 Stomach contents : — Three small bees (heads and parts of abdomen). 



Glyciphila fulvifrons. Tawny-crowned Honey-eater. — Rarely seen 

 on the trip. The bird's absence is no doubt due to the want of under- 

 growth and bush country. On the edge of the mallee, down south, 

 we met with it here and there, and its long-drawn, mournful cry was 

 heard several times. 



Ptilotis sonora. Singing Honey-eater. — This very familiar bird 

 was met with at both ends of the ranges, but I doubt whether it is 

 numerous in the hills themselves, where w^e saw one or two solitary 

 birds. A few pairs were nesting at the eastern end in the low shrubs 

 which marked the course of a stony creek running out upon the 



