^°'i9^7^'"] White, North Australian Birds. I23 



water-tank was replenished and the mangroves investigated for 

 Rails {Eulabeornis castaneiventer), which were heard calling at 

 daybreak. Birds noted were : — A Strix, Piezorhynchus nitidiis, 

 Pcecilodryas pulverulentus, Cracticus quoyi, Calyptorhynchus 

 macrorhynchus, Haliastur sphenurus, H. girrenera, Numenius 

 cyanopus, N. variegatus, Pisohia ruficoUis, Herodias timoriensis, 

 Garzetta nigripes, Tadorna rufitergum, and a flock of ten 

 Pied Oyster-catchers. The left bank of the river was explored, 

 and across a plain to ridges which appeared about 3 miles distant. 

 The plain was covered with swamp-grass and short rushes, all 

 probably under water during the wet season. The ridges were 

 sandstone, covered with a thin, stunted growth of eucalypts, with 

 patches of low, thorny scrub in the gullies, the usual birds being 

 noted. After exploring about 30 miles of this river, and there 

 being no change for the better in the appearance of the country, 

 a start was made for the Liverpool River, further west. 



When anchored off Cape Stewart, on the 17th, at the flush of 

 dawn, fifteen natives came alongside in a big canoe. They all 

 started to climb on board. Signs were made to the blacks to 

 remain in their own canoe, without avail. M'Lennan reached 

 for his shot-gun, intending to fire overhead, but one old fellow 

 seized the barrel and commenced yelling, whereat M'Lennan's 

 two companions stood with revolver and rifles ready for any 

 emergency. It certainly appeared as if the natives were about 

 to make a rush on the cutter, and a shot was fired over the 

 natives' heads, which immediately caused half the black company 

 to dive overboard, while the rest were persuaded to leave without 

 further trouble. By the way, Sandy Island, with its quota 

 of sea-fowl, was explored, and in due course the Liverpool River 

 was reached on the evening of i8th September. 



Mr. M'Lennan now having reached the region of the Liverpool 

 and King Rivers (N.T.), not far distant, geographically speaking, 

 from the locality (Port Essington and the Coburg Peninsula) 

 where Gilbert procured many of Gould's northern types (which, 

 unfortunately, were lost to the nation by being taken to 

 America), I make no apology for quoting at length the interesting 

 details of M'Lennan's diary. No doubt, good Gilbert's daily 

 experiences were similar to M'Lennan's ; both men were keen and 

 accurate observers. Indeed, from the excellent material and 

 carefully recorded observations which Mr. M'Lennan has 

 returned with, he might truly be termed the modern Gilbert. 

 One thing is evident : M'Lennan has brought back most, if not 

 all, specimens of the species that formed the celebrated Gilbert- 

 Gouldian types (as figured in Gould's great folio work, " The 

 Birds of Australia "), an invaluable acquisition to ornithological 

 material and indispensable to anyone working at the avifauna of 

 the Commonwealth. 



Liverpool River. 



19/9/15. — Three natives came in a canoe a little after daybreak. 

 One could speak a few words of English ; I asked him about fiesh 



