184 Whitlock, On the East Murchison. [ist'^ApHi 



during the five days occupied with the journey of 140 miles from 

 Nannine to Wiluna. Around Nannine the country has been 

 quite denuded of all timber of any size to supply firewood for 

 the local mines, and this was also the case around some smaller 

 centres for the first 20 miles of our journey. Generally speaking, 

 the country is very level ; so much so that the isolated hill 

 called Mount Yagahong is more conspicuous than its actual 

 height seems to warrant. This hill lies some 25 miles slightly 

 north of east of Nannine, and is plainly visible at the latter 

 township. After passing Mount Yagahong the country is less 

 disturbed, and for the most part is thickly covered with scrub, 

 roughly described as mulga, though in reality there is a great 

 variety of bushes and shrubs other than of the true mulga, but 

 none growing into the height of trees. Everywhere were signs 

 of the recent heavy rains. Clay-pans were brimming full, and 

 all rock-holes or stony beds of creeks contained an abundant 

 supply of fresh water. The sight of all this gave me the 

 greatest satisfaction, for I regarded it as an infallible indication 

 for a favourable breeding season. Nests and eggs were my chief 

 quest, but my personal ambitions bade me keep a keen eye open 

 for possible new species. At Gum Creek we crossed the line of 

 the rabbit-proof fence, and here were growing as usual on the 

 banks of the creek a few examples of the flooded gum {Eucalyptus 

 rostrata), of no great size, but for all that interesting as an indi- 

 cation of more to come. The further inland we advanced 

 the richer became the soil on the extensive flats, and the 

 larger grew the various varieties of mulga, acacia, and 

 many other species whose names I am unacquainted with. 

 Sandal-wood of a dwarfed growth was not infrequent, also its 

 congener, the quandong, both species being fully laden with 

 nuts. Another gnarled and curious tree is locally called a gidgi, 

 and, as it is not favoured by mine-owners for firewood, it 

 escapes the general destruction and attains to quite a respect- 

 able size, but for all that is really more curious than ornamental. 

 Some 20 miles east of Gum Creek we entered upon our first 

 spinifex plain. Here the soil is a light ferruginous sand, and as 

 we called a halt for an hour or so for lunch and baiting the 

 horses, I did a bit of scouting. I had not entered very far into the 

 spinifex before I encountered a pair of very interesting birds. I 

 felt sure they were a species of Amytornis, and, as subsequent 

 researches proved, they were the Striated Grass-Wren. I was 

 destined to have a troublous time with this species later on, but 

 not at that precise locality. For some 40 odd miles west of 

 Wiluna the track crosses an area of nearly 12 miles in width 

 entirely overgrown with spinifex, and only broken here and 

 there with narrow belts of stunted timber, and extending north 

 and south for a distance I was unable to ascertain. We here 

 encountered a returning camel team. A halt being called, I was 



