^°'- ^^''1 White, North Australian Biyds, n,l 



1917 J ' -J 



13/10/15. — Went up the river in the dinghy for i-|- miles, and got 

 ashore on the left bank and worked the river fiat for about 3^ miles. 

 From tree where I flushed a pair of Lorikeets 4/10/15, both birds 

 again flew from the hollow ; it contained two eggs. Nest of Falco 

 iunulatus was found 70 feet from the ground, in the topmost branch 

 of a eucalypt. I had some trouble in securing the eggs. Both the 

 birds were flying round whilst I was at work. A Black-breasted 

 Buzzard was seen flying high. A couple of Cisticola seen in some 

 long, dry grass. Shot a specimen of Dacelo cevvina. Got back to 

 camp about 3 p.m. and skinned the birds. 



14/10/15. — Went up other branch of the river in dinghy for about 

 3 miles. Got ashore and went to sandstone ranges about 3 miles 

 distant. Followed up a wide ravine, well timbered with messmate, 

 blood-wood, wattle, and other trees. Spinifex was very high and 

 thick. Saw some of the Ptilotis that I had previously secured ; shot 

 one.* When looking for a wounded bird I slipped and fell on a 

 glazed surface of rock and damaged the right barrel of my gun, putting 

 it completely out of action. Explored through narrow ravines and 

 across some of the smaller bluffs. Shot a pair of Artamus minor. 

 The ravines for a hundred feet up were full of low scrub. Pitta iris. 

 a Chalcophaps , and Geopelia humeralis were seen ; also sighted 

 Collyriocichla woodwardi. Had lunch and skinned birds. The Ptilotis. 

 owing to the heat, was nearly putrid. A thick smoke which I had 

 previously seen came down the ravine, and I had to leave. Worked 

 through the forest country at the foot of the ranges. Megapodius 

 tumulus was seen in a small patch of scrub. A few Orioliis flavi- 

 cinctus and a pair of Pinarolestes also noted. Dacelo cerviua was flushed 

 from a hollow 20 feet from the ground in a eucalypt. The nesting- 

 place contained two eggs. A pair of Clim.acteris melanura was 

 examining a hollow 12 feet from the ground in a dry stump. I 

 climbed to it, but there was no sign of a nest ; coming down, I got 

 a splinter i^ inches long in my leg, which took me some time to 

 extract. Returned to the dinghy and headed campward. Eulabeornis 

 castaneiventer seen at the water's edge. Reached camp 7.30 p.m. 



15/10/15. — After lunch I went to the patch of scrub at the spring, 

 spent some time watching Pachycephala simplex, which are always 

 to be seen here ; do not think they are breeding yet. Went into the 

 mangroves further down the river. Flushed a big Owl. probably 

 Ninox rufa. It flew off across the river. Continued through the 

 mangroves again for about a mile after Cracticus quoyi. Shot a 

 Shrike-Thrush (C. brunnea) at the edge of the mangroves. A small 

 flock of Myrisficivora spilorrhoa was in the scrub at the spring. 



16/10/15. — Went down and across the river. Three nests of 

 Micrceca flaviventris previously noted building were examined, but 

 contained nothing ; think they have been deserted. Two more pairs 

 of these birds were observed building Went ashore and up through 

 forest country to the range. A pair of Pseudogerygone chloronota 

 was seen. Shot Oriolus flavicincius and Cracticus argenteus, and 

 returned to the dinghy. Afternoon, went into the mangroves to where 

 I had seen the large Owl ; saw the bird again, but it escaped. 

 Thunder and lightning to the southward after sunset. 



17/10/15. — Crossed the river into the mangroves to see if I could 

 * This distinctly new I^tilotis is described by me on p. 167. — H. L. W. 



