Vol.XU, 



I9J2 



1 White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. I27 



another man to supply transport, and early one morning struck 

 out to the north-east, following the foothills of the Flinders 

 Range. We passed many well-wooded creeks (in which water 

 flows during good seasons), the beds of which were as dry as the 

 surrounding country. Our transport man pointed out many of 

 Dr. Chenery's old collecting-grounds. Having followed the 

 Flinders Range for some distance, collecting as we went, we struck 

 into the range by means of one of the many deep ravines, and 

 formed a permanent camp. The creeks had dried up, but by 

 digging in the gravel-bed water was obtained for the party and 

 horses. We pitched our tent on the ridge of a small spur leading 

 to the main range. The scenery in many places was very beautiful. 

 A picture presented itself every morning in front of our tent. 

 Range upon range swept away to the north, clothed in vegetation. 

 The tops of red gums growing in the creek near by were all shades 

 of light green and yellow. Many of the slopes were covered in 

 the rich dark foliage of the native pine, patches of mallee, and 

 dark sheoaks. Each night we were camped in this locality the 

 wind blew with great violence, and we had to pile great stones 

 around the tent to keep it from blowing inside out. Fortunately, 

 there was no sand, and the rough masses of ironstone defied the 

 winds to shift them. 



Many deep ravines or gorges pierced the sides of the range 

 from the west, and it was close to one of these that our main 

 camp was situated. Our first excursion was up the gorge, along 

 the bed of a creek whose course was marked far out upon the 

 plain by fine old red gum trees. These trees also followed the 

 course of the creek for some little distance into the range, 

 gradually becoming more dwarfed. Here and there between the 

 huge masses of rocks small shrubs found a hold. We found a 

 bush or two of the quandong, or native peach — the variety which 

 bears a fruit with a smooth stone. Far up on the mountain-sides 

 native pines could be seen. At the mouth of the gorge we saw 

 a Great Brown Kingfisher {Dacclo gigas) — the only specimen 

 observed on the trip. This Kingfisher and one or two White - 

 plumed Honey-eaters {Ptilotis penicillata), * which were of a very 

 light colour, were the only birds seen or heard in this deep cleft 

 of the mountains. We climbed on, in hopes of seeing some more 

 bird-life, over huge boulders and masses of rock, dead timber, and 

 debris. We passed several rock-holes full of clear water, but not 

 a bird was to be seen or heard. After a great deal of hard 

 climbing we issued from the gorge on to a steep ridge. There 

 were some stunted pines growing on the slopes. Here we saw the 

 Grey Shrike-Thrush {Collyriociiicla harmonica), also the Brown - 

 headed Honey-eater {Melithreptus brevirostris). It was with the 

 greatest difficulty that we made our way to the foot of the range, 

 and many times we wished that we had gone back along the 

 creek. After reaching the foothills we came upon a patch of the 



* P. rosinee, Mathews' " Refereiice-List," p. 412. 



