^"'igi^y^'*] White, North Australian Birds. 121 



galerita, Cacatua roseicapilla, Microeca flaviventris, Seisura nana, 

 Rhipidura tricolor, R. setosa, Nettion gibberifrons, Geopelia 

 humeralis, G. placida, Pachycephala falcata. Zoster ops lutea, 

 Ptilotis unicolor, Stigmatops ocularis, Coracina robusta, Philemon 

 sordidus, Erythrogenys cinctus, Malurtis coronatus, Artamus 

 venustus, Merops ornatus, and Dendrocygna eytoni. Near the 

 river's mouth a Bronzewing was secured showing a marked varia- 

 tion, in size and colour, from the normal Phaps chalcoptera. 



Contrary winds and mud-banks prevented a departure from 

 the Macarthur until the 15th August, when a start was made 

 for the Roper River, Maria Island being reached on the 17th. As 

 is often the case here, heavy weather was experienced ; an anchor 

 was lost, and the entrance to the river delayed. On exploration 

 the island proved poor, low, and scantily covered with scrub and 

 stunted eucalypts, bird-life scarce, and nothing much to note. 

 Instead of entering the Roper the voyage was continued a little 

 east of north along the western shore of the Gulf (Carpentaria), 

 Bickerton Island being reached on the 23rd August ; and the 

 water supply being low, a spot marked " well " on the chart was 

 searched for. Although smoke signals were seen, no natives 

 were observed, though their tracks were plentiful enough. The 

 well was located, but was dry, and required deepening. When 

 this was done the water proved too brackish for use. Next 

 morning a single native passed in a canoe, and, upon following 

 him for about three miles, a lately deserted camp was found 

 near a pool of greenish, slimy, brackish water, unfit for con- 

 sumption. A trip along the coast in an opposite direction gave no 

 better results. Country poor, bird-life scarce. 



Cape Barrow, on the mainland, was next visited, and a natives' 

 old camp on the beach indicated water — a track of about 500 

 yards in length leading to an almost dry swamp. A hole was 

 dug, and the muddy water allowed to drain into it, and a couple 

 of canvas bagfuls were eventually obtained. A Ninox connivens 

 was flushed from a dry spout about 20 feet from the ground, 

 from which nesting-place two eggs were secured. The locality 

 yielded one hitherto unnoted bird — namely, Platycercus browni. 

 A large bundle of natives' spears wrapped in paper-bark was 

 found near the old camp and taken, a good supply of tobacco, 

 fish-hooks, &c., being left in exchange. 



On the 26th a landing was made on Woodah Island, where 

 natives were interviewed. They could not speak English, but 

 showed a well on the beach, evidently covered at spring tides, 

 where good water was obtained at 6 feet. Cape Shield was visited 

 on the 28th, and a trip three miles inland made. Country very 

 poor, and birds scarce ; Entomyza albipennis seen. 



Although contrary winds made progress slow, Caledon Bay 

 was passed on the 2gth and Port Bradshaw on the 31st. A party 

 of natives was met, one of them si)saking English. An exchange 

 of tobacco for fish and turtle eggs was macle, and a landing effected 

 on the northern side of the port. The country here was very 



