126 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union-. [isf Jan. 



Polytelis melanura. Black-tailed Parrot. — A few of these fine 

 Parrots were seen flying swiftly by. They seem to be very scarce 

 where I once knew them to be numerous. 



Platycercus flaveolus. Yellow Parrot. — Numerous along the river, 

 and were mostly to be observed among the big gums. 



Barnardius harnardi. Ring-necked Parrot. — Fairly numerous. 

 The immature male takes on the same dull plumage as the female. 

 These Parrots seem to prefer the mallee to the big timber. 



Psephotus hcemaiogaster (?) Crimson-bellied Parrot. — Some of the 

 members of the excursion described a bird as the above, but T am 

 doubtful of its identity. 



Psephotus hcBmatonotus. Red-backed Parrot. — On some of the 

 grassy fiats these pretty birds were numerous, but they will soon 

 disappear as the imported Starling takes up their nesting hollows. 



Melopsittacus undulatus. Warbling Grass-Parrot. — Small flocks of 

 these birds were seen coming in to and going out from water. 



Dacelo gigas. Great Brown Kingfisher. — Fairly plentiful all along 

 the river in the big timber. 



Halcyon pyrrhopygius. Red-backed Kingfisher. — The mournfvil yet 

 harsh cry of this bird was heard at several halting-places. A 

 specimen was procured for identification. 



Halcyon sancfiis. Sacred Kingfisher. — The well-known call of this 

 bird was heard at one stopping-place only. 



Merops ornatus. Australian Bee-eater. — Bee-eaters were very 

 numerous in many localities we visited. 



Cypselus pacificus. White-rumped Swift. — One sultry, hot day 

 these birds were noticed flying overhead. 



Hirundo neoxena. Welcome Swallow. -^Plentiful on many occasions. 



Cheramceca leucosternum. White-backed Swallow. — Often seen, 

 especially near sandy ridges, where, no doubt, they were breeding. 



Petrochelidon nigricans. Tree-Martin. — Found nesting in the rocks 

 on the face of high cliff. 



Petrochelidon ariel. Fairy Martin — Great numbers were flying 

 along the river. Huge masses of their strange, retort-shaped nests 

 were seen attached to the face of the rocky cliffs just above the water. 



Petroica goodenovii. Red-capped Robin. — These little birds were 

 seen at Bell Rock. 



Smicrornis brevirostris . Short-billed Tree-Tit. — Plentiful along the 

 river ; found in mallee and red gum alike. 



Falcunculus frontatus. Yellow-bellied Shrike-Tit. — Mr. Chisholm in- 

 formed me that he observed a nest of this bird in the course of the trip. 



Oreoica cristata. Crested Bell-Bird. — The well known call of this 

 very widely distributed bird was heard on several occasions. I have 

 never found these birds very plentiful near the river ; they become 

 more numerous as one gets back into the mallee. 



Pachycephala gilherti. Gilbert Whistler. — These birds were very 

 plentiful at Bell Rock, between Lake Bonney and the river. Many 

 pairs were located in the pine scrub. They were very wary, and 

 moved on in front of us. It was necessary to procure one for identi- 

 fication, and this was managed by standing amongst the lower limbs 



