Vol. XII. 



ig 12 



J White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. n 



Another nest contained a clutch of two eggs, one egg being very 

 strongly marked, the other pale. We found Pardahtits ornatiis 

 nesting in the hollow boles of the sugar gums. Some nests were 

 partly constructed, while others were just finished. A nest of 

 Strepera fuse a was noticed at the top of a gum. We met with 

 Burhinus grallariiis and Barnardius zonarius. The latter birds 

 were busy looking out their nests, chattering and wagging their 

 tails in the fashion characteristic of all the " Broadtails." 



Striking camp and conveying our luggage to the railway line 

 took us the better part of half a day. The train pulled up and 

 took us on board. Next day we left Port Lincoln for Arno Bay. 

 Landing at midnight from the ship's boat on a primitive jetty, 

 we hauled our luggage from the beach. Next morning we started 

 out into the thick mallee scrub. Found a pair of Hieracidea 

 herigora nesting in an old Strepera's nest, and observed a pair of 

 Hylacola cauta, which we felt sure were nesting. We spent much 

 time in searching for the nest, but failed to locate it. We saw a 

 male Strepera feeding the female on the nest, which was built near 

 the ground, owing, no doubt, to the absence of a larger tree, 

 there being nothing but mallee in the area. A pair of Black- 

 eared Cuckoos {Mesocalius palliolatus) was observed, and in 

 the next tree sat a Podargiis strigoides of a very rufous colouration. 

 Pomatorhinus superciliosus were very active in the scrub, and a 

 pair of Cr adieus destructor was seen nesting in a mallee. The 

 nest was composed of sticks, and contained four dark olive-brown 

 coloured eggs. Cuculus inornatus was plentiful on the edge of 

 the scrub. We passed over a wide patch of samphire, and 

 entered a scrub of weeping acacia {Acacia, sp.) which was 

 in full blossom. Great numbers of Ptilotis sonora were present. 

 Returning through the samphire, we saw Mgialitis ruficapilla. 

 They fluttered along in front of us, falling on their backs at times 

 in their excited endeavour to draw us away from their nests. We 

 came upon a small company of Sericornis in the samphire. When 

 they became alarmed the}'' darted into the samphire bushes like 

 mice, and v/ould allow us to tread the bush down where they 

 were taking cover before they would leave. This was the same 

 species as that met with lower down the Peninsula, we believed, 

 but were not too sure of its being 5. maculata. 



Next day we went out along the coast, and by means of a pair 

 of horses and a trap were able to cover a good stretch of country. 

 The low scrub and heath proved very unproductive. CoUyrio- 

 cincla rufiventris, Chalcococcyx basalts, and Acanthogenys rtifi- 

 giilaris were most abundant. Our next stage was more in the 

 direction of the ranges. In a thick belt of mallee we met with 

 Ptilotis cratitia, P. leucotis, Pardalotus xanthopygius, Strepera 

 fusca, Acanthochcera carunculata, and Collyriocincla rufiventris. 



Returning to Arno Bay for the last few miles, close to the sand- 

 dunes we saw a very dark coloured Thrush in the mangroves, 

 which were very thick along a salt creek. After a great deal of 

 trouble we secured a specimen, which we believe to be C. rufi- 



