VohXlli.T Chandler, Bird Life of Kow Plains. 3^ 



stately manner, without evincing the sUghtest fear. At other times 

 a bird would rise with a cry of alarm, and, with rapidly-beating wings, 

 skim away. The favourite haunt of this species is among the 

 turpentine-bush. In the season the seed of this bush forms its 

 staple diet. The crops and gizzards of two specimens dissected were 

 crammed with this seed. A species of yellow fungus, which attains 

 large dimensions in the sandy soil, is also eaten at times. Any 

 palatable insect finds favour with the Mallee-Fowl , and the young 

 shoots of shrubs are eaten. In the turpentine tracts one is often 

 attracted by scratchings in the soil, which resemble those made by 

 a rabbit. These holes are scratched out by the Leipoa when in search 

 of ants, grubs, and so forth. After a careful examination of the 

 ground about a mound, it is safe to assume that the birds use their 

 wings to a large extent when sweeping the debris into the mound. 

 I took a photograph beneath an acacia, in which the wing-markings 

 can be clearly seen in the sand. A glance at a specimen of this 

 species shows that the curved wing is specially adapted for sweeping. 

 One of the specimens obtained had frayed quill-feathers, proving 

 beyond doubt that the birds use the wings for this work. The male 

 bird has a cooing, trisyllabic note, which was often heard when the 

 bird was near the female. 



Geopelia tranquilla. Ground-Dove. — A single specimen of this 

 species was secured. Apparently a rare bird in the district. 



Phaps chalcoptera. Bronze-winged Pigeon. — ^Although by no means 

 common, this species was well distributed. A nest was found on 

 top of a deserted Babbler's (Pomatorhinus super ciliosus) nest. 



Zonifer pectoralis. Black-breasted Plover. — My father found a 

 nest of this bird, containing fresh eggs, near the edge of a wheat-field. 

 We visited the nest early on the following morning, but eggs and 

 bird had disappeared, with the exception of a few bits of broken shell 

 and feathers. There were tracks of a fox in the sand. Tliis species 

 was fairly numerous in the limestone country around Kow Plains. 



(Edicnemus grallarius. Southern Stone-Curlew. — Heard calling on 

 one occasion. 



Choriotis australis. Bustard.— My father reported having seen a 

 fairly fresh track of this species, about a mile north of the railway 

 line. A settler informed us that a solitary bird had been seen on 

 several occasions north of Kow Plains. Several persons had been 

 after it with guns, but they could not get near to it. 



Notophoyx novae-hollandiae. White-fronted Heron. — A single bird 

 was observed near our camp one day. 



Chenopis atrata. Black Swan. — A flock of Swans passed over our 

 camp one evening (20th September), flying in a westerly direction. 



Anas superciliosa. Australian Black Duck. — Two of these birds 

 were disturbed at the water-hole at Skeleton Hut, on the fringe of 

 the desert. 



Phalacrocorax melanoleucus. Little Pied Cormorant. — A single 

 bird was observed at the pool frequented by the Ducks. 



Astur approximans. Australian Goshawk — Only a pair of these 

 birds was seen during the trip, and the nest was found, ready for 

 eggs, on 14th September. By 15th October no eggs had been laid, 

 but a few green mallee leaves had been added to the lining of the nest. 



