8o Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. [.^f'oct. 



humeralis). I flushed the bird from a nest 14 feet from the ground 

 on the horizontal hmb of a green cooUbah. Saw a fine Wedge- 

 tailed Eagle {Uroaiius audax) fly from a rabbit-infested sand-ridge, 

 where, no doubt, it had been lying in wait for a dinner. Many 

 poisoned rabbits were lying about, dried up like mere leather. Saw 

 dead carpet snake, which probably had had a meal of poisoned rabbit. 

 Saw numerous tracks of foxes and goannas on the sand about the 

 burrows. Noticed that the native quinine trees (Alsionia constricta, 

 F. V. M.) grew to a good size on the sandy patches about here. The 

 Bower-Birds sometimes place the long, dry seed-pods of this tree in 

 their play-grounds. Noticed some most handsome specimens of the 

 Red-winged Lory (Ptistes erythropterus) peacefully feeding in the 

 native hop trees {Dodoncsa spaihulata, Benth.) growing on the sand- 

 ridge. Several carbeen trees {Eucalyptus tesselaris, F. v. M.) were 

 found here, some being very large and containing Wliistling Eagles' 

 nests. The bark is rough and in small square scales for 8 feet or so 

 up, then the whole tree from that point becomes beautifully clean and 

 smooth and rather white. Found nests of the following birds 

 to-day : — Podargus strigoides, Grallina picata, Struthidea cinerea, 

 Pomatostomus temporalis, Plectorhamphus lanceolatus, Coracina rohusta, 

 Cr adieus destructor, &c., all built in green belah trees. I am hoping 

 that the Bower-Birds may also breed shortly, notwithstanding the 

 dry state of the country. The notes of the Striped Honey-eatef 

 (Plectorhamphus lanceolatus) are a peculiar rolling warble, and a little 

 like those rendered by the Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). Noticed the 

 Grey Struthideas again freely eating red beef-ants (Iridomyrmex 

 delectus) to-day in front of the tent ; the Bower-Birds do not like 

 these ants crawling near them as they are feeding, and they con- 

 stantly keep jumping or hopping away from the insects in a most 

 comical manner, every now and then examining their feet. The 

 Crested Bell-Birds (Oreoica cristata) rather silent lately ; probably 

 busily engaged nest-building. Bush-fires raging to-night in the 

 neighbourhood . 



i^th October. — Heard Pied Robin (Petrceca picata) calling early this 

 morning. Found two nests of Black-throated Butcher-Bird {Cracticus 

 nigrigularis) containing eggs. These birds often come about the 

 camp and feed. Nest of Black-and-White Fantail (Rhipidura 

 tricolor), containing three eggs, placed 5 feet from ground in the 

 drooping limb of a green coolibah. Did not disturb them. Took 

 set of four eggs of Struthidea. Sometimes no less than nine birds 

 appear to belong to the one nest. Took handsome nest and set of 

 three eggs of Plectorhamphus lanceolatus. Coracina robusta nest and 

 three eggs in a coolibah. Nest of Acanthiza chrysorrhoa found, 

 containing young. Saw flocks of White-rumped Wood-Swallows 

 (Artamus leucogaster). Heard some Bower-Birds uttering their strong, 

 harsh calls at a spot some few miles due north of my camp, and on going 

 over in the direction of the sound I saw two Bower-Birds fly up into 

 a dead coolibah from a dense and isolated wild red currant bush 

 (Exocarpus aphylla, R. Br.), under which I found a handsome play- 

 ground, well hidden from the Hawks, quite new and in splendid order. 

 The tops of the upright twigs and grass-stems of the walls of the 

 passage-way touched the low-spreading branches of the bush. This 

 was bower No. 4. This bower runs east and west, and the decorations 

 consisted chiefly of well-bleached vertebra bones of sheep, a pile of 

 which to the number of about 200 was displayed outside the eastern 



