ig2 Whitlock. On the East MurcMson. [,<;f April 



Marbled Owl {Ninox flcellata). — I shot a single example of this species 

 near Wiluna, chiefly for identification. At Milly Pool I could hear them 

 calling, and I saw one enter a large cavity in a hollow eucalypt. After a lot 

 of trouble, I gained access to the hole, only to find it was a roosting-place. 



Bark-eyed Cockatoo {Cacatiia gymuopis). — I saw little of this familiar 

 cage-bird until I went to Milly Pool. Here they were fairly common, and 

 breeding in the hollow eucalypts. I located several nests, but, being un- 

 provided with a rope-ladder (not anticipating such large timber), I was quite 

 helpless until some Cockatoo-hunters came out from Wiluna. All my nests 

 contained well-feathered young, which were obtained by hauling the lightest 

 of the party in a boatswain's chair up to the limb containing the brood, 



Pink Cockatoo {Caca/ua /eadbeafcj-i). — Rare ; a few breeding to the east 

 of Wiluna. 



Red-breasted Cockatoo or Galah {Cacatua roscicapilla). — These 

 noisy birds were breeding too in the eucalypts, but not in anything like the 

 numbers of C. j^ytunopis. I also saw them in flocks near Bore Well. One 

 pair had a nest in the same tree from which I took the first-mentioned nest 

 of CercJuieis cencJiroides. This tree contained two other nests in addition — 

 viz., a nest of the North Parrakeet {Ba?-na7-dius accidetitalis), and one of the 

 Yellow-throated Miner {Myzantlia flavigida). 



Cockatoo-Parrakeet {Calflpsittaciis 7iov<T-/iflllcwdice). — Flocks seen at 

 Bore Well, and the species became common at Milly Pool when the hot 

 weather set in. I think this and the preceding species may have bred 

 during the summer rains. 



Alexandra Parrakeet {Spathoptcrus alexandrce). — This was a species 

 I hoped to meet with in the district, but unfortunately I did not get on its 

 track until the breeding season was over. Some time ago there appeared in 

 The IVes/ern Mail (one of our illustrated weeklies) a photograph of an 

 individual of this Parrakeet living in captivity at Perth. I know this bird 

 came from the East Murchison or Mt. Margaret goldfields. What informa- 

 tion I gleaned around Wiluna concerning this Parrakeet I owe to my friends 

 the Cockatoo-hunters. Out east and north-east of the township are vast 

 areas of spinifex, and it is on their margins the Alexandra Parrakeet is met 

 with. Three young were taken from a hollow eucalypt in the early part of 

 October of the present year (1909). I saw two of these. They were rather 

 more than half- feathered, and had the beak coloured pink or carmine. The 

 beautiful soft tones of green and pink on the breast, flanks, and tail were 

 only just showing. The legs and feet were deep pink. The adult birds were 

 described to me as appearing very slender when perched in the timber, and 

 were stated to have a habit of sittinglongitudinally on the branch. In this 

 position they were very difficult to detect if motionless. The two young- 

 birds appeared to bear captivity very well, being full of life and activity. I 

 rather coveted one, but most exaggerated ideas of their monetary value were 

 prevalent. The local name for this species is " Spinifex Parrakeet." 



North Parrakeet {Baruardhis occidentalism North). — I saw nothing of 

 this species, with the exception of a solitary old female, which I shot, 

 in the intervening tract of country between Lake Violet and the main Lake 

 Way, until I reached Milly Pool. Here it was common, and breeding in the 

 hollow eucalypts. With the aid of ropes brought out by the Cockatoo- 

 hunters, I got several nests, but only one clutch of six eggs. These were in 

 a filthy state, and had to be cleaned with hot soapy water. The eggs were 

 fresh, but two of them were claw-marked. This was on 27th September, and 

 must have been rather a late laying. I seldom have the luck to get a perfect 

 clutch of Parrots' eggs —one or other is sure to be cracked or to have 

 a small hole pierced in the shell. 



Many-coloured Parrakeet {Psephotus mi/lficolor), locally " Mulga 

 Parrot." — This was the most generally distributed of the Parrot family 



