^°'- ^"^^^1 White, North Australian Birds. 1^3 



1917 J ' ^^ 



in canoe. They said — " Plenty of dugong outside mouth of river." 

 I induced them to try to get one for us, as our beef was about finished. 

 The niggers departed after dark, promising to bring a dugong in 

 the morning. 



22/3/16. — Spent the morning exploring the mangroves on small 

 creeks down the river. After lunch, was just making a start when 

 I saw the natives coming up the river in two canoes lashed together. 

 There were ten natives, and they had two dugongs. " It never rains 

 but it pours " here. Cut up and salted about 2 cwt. of the meat. 

 Boiled some for tea. It was splendid— not unlike pork, but more 

 delicate in flavour. 



23/3/16.- — Day of usual exploration. 



24/3/16. — Went to the rookery after breakfast. Think that all 

 the Egrets have nearly finished laying. Noted Pachycephala 

 melanura and Myiasra latirosiris. Watched a pair of Pcecilodryas 

 pulverulentus for some time. The female was gathering building 

 material for a nest about 100 yards away. After lunch went across 

 river to big creek. Took two nests of Pseudogerygone Icevigaster. 

 Saw two crocodiles, but did not get a shot. There was a "high 

 perfume " in the mangroves near where I shot one of these brutes 

 on my last visit ; did not stay to investigate. 



25/3/16. — Spent day in camp. Got through all the work on hand. 

 Mohr and New up the river for water. 



26/3/16. — Stayed within sight of the camp, as natives were about. 

 They brought some fine fish ifBarramundi). New and Mohr got back 

 about 3 p.m. They had to go up the river about 7 miles for fresh 

 water ; the former watering-place had dried up. 



27/3/16. — Afternoon, went round the salt-pans and across the plain 

 to the south of camp. Mirafra fairly plentiful. A. couple of 

 Cinclorhamphus cruralis and Anthus australis seen. Most peculiar 

 haze about all day. Eyes very sore ; think I am getting sandy 

 blight. 



28/3/16. — Haze much thicker than yesterday. Cross the river- 

 Characteristic bird-life appears to be plentiful. Amongst others 

 were noted Pachycephala lanioides, which were watched for some time ; 

 no result. P. IcBvigaster fairly numerous. Nest of Conopophila 

 albogularis, 6 feet above the ground, contained three small young. 

 Shot a " Shafted " Rhipidura. Found a pair of P. pulverulentus 

 building 2 feet above high water in dead mangrove. Found a half- 

 built nest of C. albogularis 5 feet from the ground in a small man- 

 grove ; Philemon sordidus and Artamus leucogaster seen. All the 

 birds appear to be feeding on a small hairy caterpillar — quite a 

 plague — which feeds on the mangrove leaves. Eyes exceedingly 

 sore, and flies bad. 



29/3/16. — Eyes still sore. Went to where I was yesterdayi 

 Observed Pachycephala lanioides, and examined two nests with 

 young. One nest was 6 feet above the ground, placed in small 

 twigs growing from the trunk of a tall mangrove. The structure 

 was very frail, and composed of fine twigs lightly bound with cob- 

 web. A little further on three more pairs of these fine Thickheads 

 were seen. Spent some time observing them. On imitating the 

 call the males flew up, very excited, to within a couple of feet of 



