l8o White, Field Ornithology in South Australia. \ i^'"^u» 



eared Honey-eaters {Ptilotis leucotis) * were seen in the mallee, and 

 their frog-hke call was heard in the early morning. But when 

 the heat of the day set in they became silent. The Wattle-cheeked 

 Honey-eaters {Ptilotis cratitia) were also fairly numerous, and we 

 observed numbers of immature birds. The Chestnut-backed 

 Ground-Birds {Cinclosoma castanonotiim) and the Brown-headed 

 Honey-eater {Melithreptus brevirostris) f were also seen. Our 

 attention was arrested by a peculiar call, the first notes of which 

 were certainly typical of the Pachycephala, but they were followed 

 by a peculiar sound like that produced by the rapid drawing-in 

 of the breath through partially-closed lips. It was not long 

 before we found that the call came from two male Thickheads 

 which were in conflict. Both birds were secured ; they appeared 

 to be specimens of P. gilhcrti, but after our return I found that 

 they differed. Directly I read John Gould's description of P. 

 nifogularis I knew that my specimens were of that species. Later, 

 we secured a female. (See Emu, vol. xi., p. 212.) 



After dinner we struck camp, and, in spite of the heat, 

 drove 25 miles through the thick mallee along a sandy track to 

 Turner's Well. We lowered the bucket about 150 feet, and 

 drew up some water, which was tipped into an old iron trough 

 for the horses to drink. Within 10 minutes the trough was full 

 of birds, fighting with one another for the water. Among them 

 were some Miners which we thought appeared strange. (On our 

 return we found that specimens answered to the description of 

 Mr. F. E. Wilson's Myzantha melanotis, found in the Mallee, 

 North- West Victoria.) Other birds which came for a drink were 

 Crows {Corviis coronoides), White-plumed Honey-eaters (Ptilotis 

 whitei, Mathews' " Reference-List," p. 412), and the Spiny-cheeked 

 Honey-eater (Acanthogenys cygnus, Mathews' " Reference-List," p. 

 420). The weaker birds, which were beaten off by the stronger 

 ones, lay on the ground with outstretched wings, overcome by the 

 heat. Next day we travelled towards the river. Passing through 

 the big mallee we saw Cinclosoma castanonotiim in pairs running 

 about with great rapidity. When flushed these birds flew only 

 a short distance before alighting on the ground again. We 

 did not hear them utter any call. We met with many birds 

 in the mallee. The Shell-Parrots (Melopsittacus undulattis) were 

 seen in numbers. The Many-coloured Parrot {Psephoius multi- 

 color) and the Crested Bell-Birds [Oreoica cristata) were plentiful. 

 The Yellow-plumed Honey-eaters (Ptilotis ornata) were fairly 

 numerous in the big mallee. We reached the river at 6 

 p.m., about which time the steamer was expected to pass. A 

 cool change set in, and a strong wind blew up from the south- 

 west. We sat on the river-bank till i a.m. next day, when the 

 steamer put in an appearance. So ended our trip to the mallee 

 end of the Murray. We were well rewarded in the re-discovery 

 of Gould's Pachycephala rufogularis. 



* } P. novfe-nnrci(B. — Eds. f ? M. leucogenys. — Eds. 



