^°';^^'^-] Wnn^, North Australian Birds. 23I 



and 21/9/15. — A few birds seen. Kin?:,' River — Often met with 

 up till the first week in November, then they all disappeared. Roper 

 River, 20/2/16. — Fairly numerous. Maria Island, 13/4./16. — A few 

 birds seen. 



Stomach, remains of beetles and grasshoppers. 



Notes on a Collecting Trip in the Lower North of 

 South Australia. 



By Edwin Asiiry, M.B.O.U., R.xA..().r., " \\'ittung.\," Black- 

 wood, S.A. 

 The special object of the trip was to visit the habitats of Maliiriis 

 nielanotus whitei, Campbell, and Malurus leuconotus, (ioukl. The 

 former is only met with in a narrow strip of salt-bush country 

 between the Flinders Range and Spencer Gulf, only a few miles 

 in width and about 40 miles in length, between Port Germein and 

 Port Augusta. The latter was last met with by the writer in 

 November, 1900, about 35 miles east of Petersburg, on the eastern 

 side of the Flinders Range, in salt-bush and mallee country, 



A start was made from Adelaide on the 4th September, and 

 Adelaide was reached on the return trip on the gth, so that all 

 the following notes have reference to the intermediate dates. 

 About 600 miles were covered by motor in the six days. Messrs. 

 Frank E. Parsons and Maurice E. Saunders, both members of 

 the R.A.O.U., with the writer, formed the party. Comparatively 

 few birds were noted between Adelaide and Crystal Brook, 

 151 miles' run ; but in a patch of lai'ge mallee near Mallala a short 

 stop was made, as it was alive with birds. One specimen of 

 Plectorhyncha lanceolata neglecta. Mat., Southern Striped Honey- 

 eater, was obtained. This bird is decidedly one of the rarer of 

 our South Australian Honey-eaters. 



Mirafra javanica secunda, Sharpe. Lesser Bush-Lark. — Was very 

 numcro'.is in manv of the cornfields tlirough which the road passed. 

 Our attention was chieflv called to them by their sweet song, which 

 rivals that of the Lnglisli Lark, both species singing as tliey ascend 

 high into the air. 



Cinclorhamphus cniralis cantatoris, Gld. Southern Song-Lark.^ — 

 Was in great numlx-rs in llie cornfields between Crystal Brook and 

 Port Pirie. Several specimens were obtained, but no difference could 

 be distinguished between them and specimens obtained in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Adelaide. 



Cinclorhamphus rufescens; mathewsi vigorsi, Mat. Eastern Rufous 

 Song-Lark. — In a patch of large red gum timber (Encalypius 

 rostrata), thick with red gum saplings, growing along a water-course, 

 a few miles from Port Germein, this bird entirely replaced the pre- 

 ceding species. The scrub resounded with their song, which was 

 decidedly more pleasing tlian tliat of C. crttralis, and also more varied. 



Artamus (sordidus cyanopterus, Lath. Wood-Swallow. — Was very 

 numerous in tliis bush, as it was in all suitable places throughout the 

 trip. This was the only species of Artamus noted in any part of the 



