^"Igi^^''] ^niTY., North Australian Birds. I45 



eggs. Nest of Rhipidura isura noted 29/12/15 contained two 

 eggs. Found a nest of Coracina hypoleucus, containing two eggs; 

 nest placed in the fork of a paper-bark 15 feet from the ground. 



6/1/16. — Went to sandstone range without result. Pitta iris, 

 a Chalcophaps, Chibia bracteata, Oriolus flavicinctus, Edoliisoma, 

 Stigmatops ocularis, and Myzomela obscura were, however, observed. 

 Returning to the mangroves, a nest of Eulabeornis containing five 

 eggs was found in an exposed position, 2 feet from the ground, in 

 spreading fork of a solitary mangrove, in an open space. After a 

 long search, another nest of these birds was found 6 feet above the 

 water, on the trunk of a mangrove overhanging the creek ; it con- 

 tained one egg. A native brought to camp a nest of Conopophila albi- 

 gidaris containing three eggs, found in a small white mangrove at 

 the edge of a salt-pan about a mile down the river. 



7/1/16. — Sent natives to get nest of Podiceps noted 4/1/16. I 

 went to salt-pan where I had first found Plovers breeding ; three 

 more nests were found, each containing four eggs. Went to the 

 northern end of the sandstone range. Some Snipe were flushed from 

 a marshy spot in a gully ; shot one of them.* Searched through the 

 ravines, but did not see anything of note. The natives returned 

 with two sets of Grebes' eggs — four and five eggs respectively. 

 8/1/16. — -Rained more or less ; day uneventful. 

 9/1/16. — Usual programme of work and observation. Nest of 

 Zosterofs lutea, containing one fresh egg, found 6 feet above the 

 water in a narrow-leaved mangrove overhanging the river. Alcyone 

 pulchra noted drilling a nesting-hole in the washaway at the landing. 

 After lunch I went up the river to search through the small paper- 

 barks and mangroves round the salt-pans. Another pair was drilling 

 into a termites' mound about loo yards from the edge of the man- 

 groves. 



10/1/16. — Uneventful day. 



1 1/1/16 — Visited nest of Dupetor gouldi noted 9/1/16 ; it contained 

 four eggs. The nest of Zosterops lutea noted 9/1/16 contained 

 three eggs. Not feeling well, returned to camp, and did not go out 

 again . 



12/1/16. — Proceeded to forest country. A termites' mound near 

 the natives' camp had been dug out. I asked one of the natives 

 what did it. He replied — " Old man look for kai-kai," and he set 

 to work and dug out some large, hairy grubs — larvae of a beetle. 

 Digging deeper, he got some perfect insects. The natives roast and 

 eat the larvae. A nest of Collyriocichla brunnea was found in a hollow 

 IS feet from the ground in a eucalypt, containing two eggs. I had 

 only been out a couple of hours when I had to turn back, as I felt too 

 ill to proceed further. 



i3/i/i6.-^Day of usual observation. 



14/1/16. — When I reached the landing, found that the dinghy 

 was missing. A search revealed that it was dragged into the man- 

 groves, opposite the cutter, and tracks of natives were visible in the 

 mud near. Wenl on board Ihc culler and found that it had been 

 broken into and raided. Mv trade tobacco and a lot of the stores 



* This bird proved to be Gallinago megala — an interesting find. See 

 Mathews, " Birds of Australia," vol. iii., plate 167. — H. L. W. 



