I "30 White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. fist Oct 



spent some time in beating, but it was only too clear that this 

 rare bird had left the locality for ever, and that we must look for 

 it much further to the west. We met with the Black-breasted 

 Plover {Zonifer tricolor). Nankeen Kestrel [Cerchneis cenchroides). 

 Magpie-Lark [Grallina ficata). Purple-crowned Lorikeet {Glossopsit- 

 tacus porphyriocephaltis). Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus 

 melanops). Black-and-White Swallow [Cheramoeca leucosternum), 

 Ground-Lark {Anthiis anstralis). Red-backed Kingfisher {Halcyon 

 pyrrhopy gilts), Tree-Martin (Petrochclidoii nigricans), Restless 

 Flycatcher (Sisura inquieta), and White-backed Magpie {Gynmor- 

 hina lenconota). On our way back to Port Augusta we observed 

 the Masked Wood-Swallow [Artamns personatus) with nest con- 

 taining two eggs, and met with the Calamanthus again (Mr. G. 

 Mathews has since informed me that it is a typical C. campestris). 

 We once more found ourselves in Port Augusta, and left by the 

 next morning's train for Adelaide. Thus ended our first trip to 

 the North- West. It was rather disappointing, but if next 

 season is more favourable we hope to pay the Gawler Ranges 

 another visit. 



Notes on the Mistletoe^Bird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum). 



By L. G. Chandler, R.A.O.U., Malvern. 



{Read before the Bird Observers' Club, lylh April, 1912.) 



Although I have spent very little time in studying the habits 

 of the Mistletoe-Bird, a few notes — hastily gathered as occasion 

 offered — may perhaps be of interest. There seems little room 

 for doubt that Dicceum hirundinaceum is the principal seed-dis- 

 tributing agent for the mistletoe {Loranthus). I have examined 

 the stomachs of different Honey-eaters, shot while feeding in a 

 clump of mistletoe, and the examination proved that the birds 

 had merely been feasting upon insects and the honey from the 

 flowers. The Dicaeum appears to live alrnost exclusively on the 

 mistletoe berries. This diet may occasionally be varied by the 

 addition of small insects and nectar. 



When searching on the ground beneath a clump of mistletoe, 

 I have found the seed-case of the parasite, thus proving that the 

 bird often, if not always, rejects this portion. One day I 

 observed a bird drop one of these cases, but was too late to 

 notice in what manner the seed was withdrawn. A glance at 

 the rejected portion showed that it had been split near the large 

 end only, and the seed squeezed through. To convince myself 

 that the seed of the Loranthus was not in any way damaged 

 by passing through the bird's body, I placed three seeds, taken 

 from the stomach of a Mistletoe-Bird on a climbing vine in my 

 garden at Malvern. Within a week the seeds were firmly stuck 

 on the vine, and from each one a small green stalk had started 

 to grow upward. About a month after the seeds were placed 



