210 Barnard, Birds of the Brunnette Downs. [isf A^ril 



Mirafra rufescens.* Rufous Bush-Lark. — Very common on the 

 phiins. A number of nests found, both with eggs and young. 



Cinclorhamphus cruralis (rogersi). (Northern) Brown Song-Lark. — 

 A few birds were seen on the plains, where they were breeding. 



Cinclorhamphus rufescens (horsfieldi). (Northern) Rufous Song- 

 Lark. — A few birds seen about small bushes near the plains. 



Halcyon obscurus. (Northern) Red-backed Kingfisher. — Common 

 aboiit the gidgea ; the only Kingfisher seen out here. 



Turnix pyrrhothorax. Red-chested Quail. — Several birds seen with 

 young ; one nest found on plain, with eggs. 



[The foregoing list has been kindly supplied by Mr. H. L. White, 

 R.A.O.U., Bellti'ees, New South Wales, for whom T\Ir. Barnard is 

 collecting. — Eds.] 



Search for Eggs of Colluricincia woodwardi. 



By Harry G. Barnard, R.A.O.U. 



Having searched the sandstone hills for miles around Borroloola 

 (N.T.) in vain for the " Sandstone Thrush " {Colluricincia ivood- 

 wardi), I determined to try further afield. I heard that at the 

 junction of Western Creek with the Macarthur (20 miles west) 

 there was much high sandstone country, and determined to try 

 that locality. My assistant not having returned from the table- 

 land, I went alone. 



I left Borroloola on Wednesday morning, the loth December, 

 taking with me a small tent -fly, a mosquito net, and enough flour, 

 tea. and sugar for four or five days. Beef I could not carry, but 

 depended on my gun and the rock wallaby " venison." I reached 

 the edge of the sandstone country, one mile from Western Creek 

 junction, at mid-day, and, finding water in the Macarthur River, 

 I decided to camp. It was not known if there was water further 

 on. After lunch and a couple of hours' spell, 1 took a turn for 

 a few miles through the sandstone. All the sandstone seen was 

 of the same class as that round Borroloola — namely, the columnar 

 variety. This sandstone outcrops from the flat, sandy country, 

 and rises in columns from a few feet to 50 or 60 feet in height, 

 and is intersected in all directions with narrow passages which one 

 may in places wander through for miles. The columns at a 

 short distance resemble huge beehives. I saw no sign of the 

 bird I was in quest of, but saw a single specimen only of a Grass- 

 Wren {Amytornis woodwardi). As the sun was getting low I 

 returned to camp, and after supper crept beneath the net, to be 

 lulled to sleep by the howling of the dingoes, which are apparently 

 very plentiful hereabouts. Thursday morning I was early astir, 

 and after a hasty breakfast I took a south-west course to see if 

 I could not reach the same class of country as that in which we 

 found the bird when at Macarthur Station. After going about 



* Ingram, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. xvi., p. 116. 



