^"I'gf-" ] Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. loi 



fortunate that my assistant and I got back to camp in time. Some 

 of the things disappeared and were never seen again Tin dishes and 

 plates were blown away and bent into all shapes. Some large trees 

 about the camp snapped off at their bases. 



6th January. — Evidences of the gale everywhere, and numerous trees 

 down. No. I bower completely wrecked. The new nest of the Bower- 

 Bird in the mistletoe in the wliite-wood had been blown out of 

 position and was hanging on the side of the mistletoe. Mr. M. Doyle 

 rode ovit to see how I had weathered the gale, as much damage had 

 been done about the homestead, and places unroofed, including a 

 good part of the wool-shed. The boobialla tree from which I took 

 a nest and eggs of Bower-Bird on 14/11/1911 was blown down. A 

 number of the old nests also went East of camp we saw a great 

 flock of nearly 60 Native Companions, not far from No. 3 bower. 

 Native name of these birds is " Brolga." Saw several more Ground 

 Cuckoo-Shrikes ; their peculiar note soon attracts attention. Their 

 forked tail is very conspicuous when flying. They mostly call on 

 the wing. Bunary trees (Heterodendron olecBfclitim, Desf.) now in seed. 



yth January. — Saw no Bower- Birds at camp to-day or in the bush. 

 I fear they will not reconstruct No. i bower again 



?,th January. — Visited No. 2 bower and photographed it, it being 

 well sheltered from the storm. Shot and preserved a handsome male 

 specimen of the Black-backed Wren {Malurus melanonotus). Measure- 

 ments of the bird in the flesh are as follows , — Total length, 59 mm. ; 

 wing, expanded, t,i\ mm. ; tarsus, 11 mm. ; bill, 6 mm. ; tail, 26 mm. 

 Colour of eyes black. Also procured Acanthiza albiventris, North; 

 Measurements : — Total length, 53 mm. • wing, ^y mm. ; bill, 6 mm. ; 

 tarsus, 9 mm. ; tail. 21 mm. Eyes cream colour, with black centres 

 Found nest containing two young Crested Pigeons. Colour, grey ; 

 bills blackish, with white tips : small crests on head ; very tame. 



C)th January. — Mr. Melville Doyle called at camp to-day, and kindly 

 drove me to Eulalie station, which lies some 12 miles north-east of 

 Cambo Cambo. On the way, and when passing through Dumiendi 

 station, an old nest of a Bower-Bird was found in a mulga tree (Acacia 

 aneura, F. v. M.) I saw none of these trees on Cambo Cambo. 

 Passed through vast areas of prickly pear plants, and noticed that 

 much of the ripe fruit had been pecked by birds, &c. Saw the 

 Eulalie bore flowing, with an output of 400,000 gallons per day, and 

 it has made a swamp near it, which is covered in some parts 

 with lignum bush {Muehlenheckia cunninghami, F. v. M.) Here 

 observed the following birds feeding : — Black Ducks, Wood-Ducks, 

 White-headed Stilts, Straw-necked Ibis, White Egrets. Yellow-legged 

 Spoonbills, and Pacific Herons. The birds were tame, and did not 

 fly on our approach. Saw only one Bower-Bird to-day, and I 

 travelled about over fully 30 miles of country in all. I think they 

 must have been congregated about parts where fruit trees were in 

 bearing Saw many rubbaroo trees (Eucalyptus odorata, Behr.) 

 growing in the bush at Eulalie to-day. Tree something like coolibah 

 but smaller, and has smaller leaves and darker bark. Mr. W. H. 

 Treweeke informed me that in some of the Bower- Birds' play-grounds 

 not far from his house, the birds often have bright metal sparklet 

 bulbs displayed in the decorations. 



loth January. — Three Bower-Birds at my camp this morning. 

 Took more photographs of trees containing Bower-Birds' nests: 



