Vol. XVI 



19 



^' J 'Wnnv., North Australian Birds. I41 



9/12/15. — Went out east ot camp a couple of miles ; nothing of note. 

 Returned to camp about 1 i a.m. Great numbers of Finches were 

 watering at the spring near camp. Rails {Amaiirornis moluccana' 

 heard calling in the long grass ; could not flush any of them. After 

 lunch crossed river. Found a nest of Eulaheornis containing four 

 eggs ; they appeared to be slightly incubated, so I took them. Nests 

 of Piezorhynchus nitidiis containing young, and Pseudogerygone magtii- 

 rostris containing three heavily-incubated eggs, noted. Amaurorni'^ 

 moluccana heard calling after dark as they passed over the camp. 



10/12/15. — Shot specimens of Alcyone piisilla and Little Bronze- 

 Cuckoo. Rest of day uneventful. 



11/12/15. — Heavy thunderstorm to-day ; over an inch of rain fell. 

 Swifts passed over the camp just after the rain. 



1 2/1 2/1 5. — Went down river through the forest for 2 miles. 

 Rhipidura isitra noted building. Shot Geophaps smifhi and Halcyon 

 niacleayi. Little bird-life anywhere now. Storm came up about 

 mid-day, when it rained heavily, succeeded by a drizzle which con- 

 tinued for the rest of the afternoon. A large flock of Swifts passed 

 up the river just after the heavy rain. Rainfall at 6 p.m., i| inches. 

 Three natives came to the camp at sunset ; they could understand 

 little English, and only spoke a few words. I gave them a little 

 " 'bacca " and tucker and let them camp near 



1 3/1 2/1 5. — Nest of Rhipidura isura, noted building near landing 

 29/1 i/i 5. contained two eggs. Went up branch of the river and 

 worked through the mangroves, where Rails were calling. Heavy 

 rain fell about 10.30 a.m Returned to camp. After lunch I took 

 the three natives and worked the mangroves for 2-| miles up the river, 

 but did not find anything except a 4^-feet brown snake, which I 

 nearly put my hand on. The reptile was coiled on a fallen man- 

 grove. 



14/12/15. — To-day's efforts were damped with heavy showers. 

 In the sandstone range Thrushes and Maluri were noted, and eggs 

 of the former taken. Had a very narrow escape from snake-bite 

 in the forest. I almost stood on a brown snake which was coiled up 

 near a rat-hole. The instant I saw it I sprang sideways as its head 

 flashed past my leg. The reptile disappeared into the hole before 

 I could shoot. 



I 5/1 2/1 5. — Uneventful day. 



16/12/15. — Light rain, with occasional sharp showers, all day. 

 Went over to the sandstone bluffs to get the nest of Thrush noted 

 with two eggs 14/12/15 ; no more eggs laid. The birds sat until I 

 got within three yards of the nest, which was 4 feet from the ground 

 on a shelf of rock under a broad ledge. Crossed a broad ravine, and 

 up into the south-west end of the range, and hunted the ravines for 

 a couple of hours, without success. 



1 7/ 1 2/ 1 5. —Light rain started to fall a little after daybreak, with 

 occasional heavy showers, and continued till about 2 p.m Too wet 

 to go out anywhere. 



18/12/15. — Worked through the forest country up river. Two 

 Cormorants (P. sulcirostris) seen, and one shot. Two pairs of 

 Lobivanelliis miles were watched for some time After lunch worked 

 the forest down river for a couple of miles. On return, a Finch 



