l88 Mellor, Birds of Port Germein, South Australia. [.st'^'jai.. 



egg boiled in an old jam tin and a biscuit or two. The spot was 

 an ideal one for the naturalist. The ravines were deep and 

 rugged, with crag upon crag jutting from the heights above — 

 good resting-places for the Wedge-tailed Eagles {Uroaetus andax), 

 which were seen soaring aloft at a great height. In the gorge 

 itself, which wound about and gradually ascended across the 

 ranges, a stream of water made its way in snake fashion, crossing 

 the roadway no fewer than 47 times in the space of two miles. 

 Large gum-trees grew in the bed of the creek. 



I was kept busy from the time when I entered this fascinating 

 spot until I emerged, late in the afternoon. A Red-backed 

 Parrakeet [Psephotus hcematonotus) was the first bird of note to 

 attract my attention, as it flew up from the grass and settled in 

 a small tree close by. An Elegant Grass-Parrakeet {Neophema 

 elegans) came flying over and rested for a few minutes in a giant 

 eucalypt growing in the creek. Not far away two Many- 

 coloured Parrakeets {Psephotus multicolor) were feeding quietly 

 in the short grass. High up in the shelter of some rocks on the 

 face of the precipice were clusters of nests of the Fairy Martin 

 {Petrochelidon ariel). The birds were flying round, but on 

 climbing up the face of the cliff to the nests I found that the birds 

 had not yet laid. The Tree Martin [Petrochelidon nigricans) was 

 noted further along, dodging in and out of hollow spouts of an 

 old gum-tree. Honey-eaters were present in numbers. The 

 White-plumed {Ptilotis penicillata) and the Yellow-plumed (P. 

 plumula) were seen. One of the latter species was shot, and, as 

 it lay on the ground, another bird flew down and started to peck 

 its head. So absorbed was the live bird that several times I 

 nearly touched it with my fingers. The dead bird was left for a 

 while, and five more Honey-eaters came down and began pecking 

 their dead mate in a savage manner, dragging it several inches 

 away. The Yellow-throated Miner {Myzantha flavigula) was 

 observed in the eucalypts, and some Black-throated Honey-eaters 

 [Melithreptus gularis) uttered their usual sing-song notes as they 

 searched the boughs for insects. A few specimens of the Spiny- 

 cheeked Honey-eater {Acanthogenys rufigularis) were heard 

 singing in the thick brush, and a glimpse of them was obtained. 

 A Red-capped Robin [Petrocca goodenovii) flew up and perched 

 on a twig close to me. The Great Brown Kingfisher [Dacelo gigas) 

 was present. I returned to Port Germein by a roundabout route. 



In the three days I had observed no fewer than 73 species, and 

 the weather was against me for a part of the time. The following 

 is a complete hst of the birds noted : — 



Silver Gull (Larus novce-hoUandice'). 

 Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) . 

 Black-tailed Godwit {Limosa novce-zealandics). 

 Black Oyster-catcher (Hcsmatopus fuliginosus). 

 Pied Oyster-catcher {HcBmatopus longirostris). 

 Black-breasted Plover {Zonifer tricolor). 

 Stone-Plover {Burhinus grallarius). 



