Vol. XIII. 

 1913 



] Chandler, Bird-Life of Koiv Plains. 37 



Lathamus discolor. Swift Parrot — On gth September a flock of 

 Swift Parrots passed over our camp, flying in an easterly direction. 



Podargus rossi. Frogmouth. — Except when a nest was located, 

 this bird was rarely seen. The majority of nests found were built 

 on a horizontal fork of a small sapling. I succeeded one day in 

 taking a photograph of a Podargus on its nest. The bird took no 

 notice of the noise made by the camera shutter. 



^gotheles novsB-holiandiae. Owlet-Nightjar. — Numerous hollows, 

 from which these birds were flushed, were chopped into before nests 

 containing eggs were obtained. Often tapping at the foot of a tree 

 will not dislodge the inmate, but should one scratch on the trunk of 

 the tree, in imitation of a climbing lizard, the bird will leave hurriedly. 



Halcyon pyrrhopygius. Red-backed Kingfisher. — One day a settler 

 stated that he had shot a bird for us which was an entire stranger 

 to him. It proved to be a specimen of this species. Later a bird was 

 obtained several miles from this place. 



Merops ornatus. Australian Bee-eater. — The first Bee-eaters were 

 heard calling on 24th September, and after that date the birds began 

 to arrive in flocks. No nesting operations had been started up to 

 the time of our departure. 



Eurostopodus guttatus. Spotted Nightjar. — One day we flushed 

 a pair of these handsome birds from the foot of a mallee sapling. 

 Hoping to find the nest later on, we left them undisturbed. A week 

 later this strip of mallee was being rolled, and the birds were not seen 

 again. 



Cacomantis flabellitormis. Fan-tailed Cuckoo. — Found throughout 

 the district, but by no means common. No Cuckoo eggs were taken 

 on the trip. 



Mesocalius osculans. Black-eared Cuckoo. — On 21st September 

 about twelve of these birds were seen. They had evidently just 

 arrived in the district, and were selecting mates. 



Chalcococcyx basalis. Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo. — Seen and 

 heard calling on several occasions. 



Chalcococcyx plagosus. Bronze-Cuckoo. — A rare bird. Its plaintive 

 whistle was heard only on one occasion. 



Hirundo neoxena. Welcome Swallow. — A pair of Swallows had a 

 nest under the verandah at the home station. 



Petrochelidon nigricans. Tree-Martin. — Well distributed in the 

 tall timber. Several nests were noted in inaccessible positions. One 

 nest, which I chopped out, was ready for eggs. I carefully blocked 

 the hole which I had made, and a week later secured a set of four 

 fresh eggs. The nest was composed of mallee leaves. One tree 

 contained the nests of three pairs of birds. 



Microeca assimilis. Allied Brown Flycatcher.— A common species- 

 All the nests noted were built close to the ground. 



Petroica leggii. Scarlet-breasted Robin. — -Noted on two occasions^ 

 but specimens were not secured. 



Petroica phoenicea. Flame-breasted Robin. — Three female birds 

 were observed — one bird on the plains, and the other two several 

 miles south-east of Kow Plains. A specimen was obtained on 9th 

 September, IQ12. 



