VoKXill.j Barnard, Search for Eggs of Colluvicincla woodwavdi- 211 



three miles I climbed a sandstone hill to get a view of the country. 

 I was on the edge of a wide valley, which stretched before me for 

 about two miles. On the far side, and rising abruptly from the 

 valley was a range of red sandstone rising to a height of 700 to 

 800 feet, the high chffs and dark ravines being perfectly visible. 

 Here, I thought, is the country I am in search of. Descending 

 to the valley and making my way across it, I suddenly came to 

 a rocky depression, through which flowed a beautiful spring, the 

 water being like crystal. Its course formed numerous small 

 holes, which were covered with purple water-lilies — a transporting 

 sight in this barren land of stunted timber and spinifex. After 

 a good drink and a short spell I again went forward. Signs of 

 a recent storm, in the shape of broken boughs and uprooted 

 trees, became visible, and a little further on pools of water 

 were seen among the rocks. On reaching the sandstone I made 

 my way up a ravine till a large overhanging rock on my right 

 attracted my attention as a likely place for a Thrush's nest. 

 On approaching it and looking round I observed a nest partly 

 hidden behind a jutting ledge of rock, and, placing my hand therein, 

 was delighted to find a pair of eggs. Lifting them carefully out, 

 I at once saw they belonged to a Thrush. Replacing the eggs, 

 I retired to the shelter of a rock, and, after waiting a few minutes, 

 heard the clear whistle of a Colluricincla, and a few seconds after 

 a female C. woodwardi flew on to the ledge beside the nest, and, 

 after a careful look round, sat quietly down on the eggs. The 

 instant I moved, however, she was gone hke a flash. Carefully 

 packing the eggs in a collecting box, I resumed the search, and by 

 mid-day had located five more nests, none of which, however, had 

 eggs. While the quart-pot was boihng I reviewed the situation, 

 and came to the conclusion that the distance from camp was too 

 great to allow of good work, so decided to shift it. After lunch 

 I made a bee-line for camp, which was reached about 3 o'clock. 

 I at once dismantled and re-packed the outfit, and once more 

 turned my face towards the sandstone ranges. As a storm was 

 brewing, I lost no time on the return journey, and by sundown 

 was under the friendly shelter of the rock from which I had taken 

 the Thrush's eggs in the morning. Cutting some sapHngs, I 

 wedged them between the floor and roof of the rock and swung 

 my net between them. By this time the storm was sweeping 

 over the hills, and, although the thunder and Ughtning were very 

 severe, I was quite secure in my rocky refuge. My supper con- 

 sisted of Johnnie-cake and roast rock wallaby. Friday and Satur- 

 day were spent in searching the ranges, and, although many nests 

 of the Thrushes were seen, both new and old, no further eggs 

 were taken. 



A fair number of Amytornis woodwardi was seen, and two old 

 nests of last season were observed in the top of spinifex clumps, 

 but they do not seem to have made a start for this season, 

 probably the delayed rain and great heat (the thermometer aver- 

 aging 105° for the whole of November at the police barracks in 



