Vol. XIII. 



1914 



] White, Birds Ideyitified, Lower Murray Excursion. 127 



of a pine tree and calling a bird up. Although no nests were seen, 

 I feel sure they were breeding at the time of our visit. 



Rhipidiira motacilloides. Black-and-White Fantail. — These homely 

 birds were met with all through, out in the scrub as well as round 

 homesteads. 



Seisura inquieta. Restless Flycatcher. — ^These birds were somewhat 

 numerous, and their strange grinding call was to be heard at nearly 

 every place we landed. One nest containing young was seen, and 

 I fancy that many more pairs were nesting. 



Graiicalus melanops. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike. — Seen flying over 

 the river, and were met with in the scrub. 



Campephaga hiimeralis. White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater. — ^These 

 pretty and useful birds were met with in the mallee, where they were 

 found breeding. In one instance two young birds were found 

 so large that they could only just hang to the rim of the nest ; the 

 parent birds put themselves into a great fuss, and almost dashed into 

 one's face in their frantic efforts to drive the intruder away. 



Pomatorhinus temporalis (?) Australian Babbler. — -Tliis bird was 

 reported to have been seen in the thick scrub back from the river. 



Pomatorhinus superciliosus. White-browed Babbler. — A common 

 bird all through the river districts. They mil keep so quiet in the 

 middle of the day that often one has no idea of their presence till 

 passing under a low tree, when they will break out into a babel of 

 discordant cries. 



Acrocephalus australis. Australian Reed-Warbler. — Found wherever 

 reeds or flags afforded them shelter. There is no doubt that the 

 Reed-Warbler is one of Australia's greatest songsters. 



Acanthiza chrysorrhoa. Yellow-tailed Tit-Warbler. — Observed in 

 many places along the river-bank. 



Acanthiza uropygialis. Chestnut-rumped Tit-W^arbler. — A specimen 

 procured by Dr. Cleland for identification. They were not numerous. 



PyrrholcBmtts brunneus. Redthroat. — Observed this bird for the 

 first time on the trip in the low bush between Lake Bonney and 

 the river. They were singing most sweetly. A specimen procured 

 shows much less reddish marking on the throat. 



M alums cyaneus. Blue Wren-Warbler. — Observed in the first part 

 of the trip. 



Malurus melanotus. Black-backed Wren-Warbler. — I was not at 

 all surprised to find this glorious little bird, for it was from the Murray 

 mallee belts that John Gould procured his type. On comparing this 

 bird with skins procured by Mr. A. J. Campbell from the Mallee in 

 Victoria they are found to be identical. 



Mahinis assimilis. Purple-backed Wren- Warbler. — This is the 

 true assimilis, and not the bird found further north and north-west 

 and in Central Australia. The blue of the head and ear coverts is 

 of much darker shade than in the Central bird, which I have named 

 M. lamberti morgani* 



Artamus personatus. Masked Wood-Swallow. — Fairly numerous, 

 and found breeding in the mallee. 



Artamus sordidus. Wood-Swallow. — This very widely distributed 

 bird was found almost everywhere we landed. 



* See Austral Avian Record, vol. i. , p. 126 ; also Emu, ante, p. 28. 



