2o6 Mathews, Notes on Epthianura lovensis {Ashby). [ist^'Xn 



" Occurrence. — The first specimen seen was an isolated male, in 

 the last week of October or the first week in November, 1910, in the 

 neighbourhood of Leigh's Creek, South Australia. A flock of about 

 20 was seen later in November, and later on, in December and early 

 January, between Hergott Springs and the River Cooper, several 

 pairs were seen throughout the 90-mile journey, running on the 

 ground or occasionally flitting across the track — in all, perhaps 20. 



" Nature of Country. — The ground is dull red, covered thickly with 

 stones the size of a marble to that of a plum, with salt-bush or blue- 

 bush, say 3 or 4 feet apart. In the stretch between Hergott Springs 

 and Cooper's Creek the country is typical " gibber plain/' and the 

 stones are more rounded and set closer together than near Leigh's 

 Creek. 



" Habits. — The habit of this bird separates it at once from any of 

 the genus Ephthianura with which I am acquainted. It is always seen 

 in the open country — either ' gibber plain ' or open, stony hillside 

 — running on the ground, bobbing its tail up and down in the same 

 manner as the Australian Pipit (Anthus australis). So closely do 

 its actions resemble that bird that at first I thought it possible that 

 the tail was not fully developed, for it seemed strangely short for 

 a bird that so closely resembled the Pipit in its actions. I have never 

 seen a Wheat-ear, but from the written descriptions of the habits 

 of some of the species occurring in Africa one would expect some 

 relationship between them and the species under review. On one 

 occasion a small boy saw one of these birds run into a rabbit-burrow, 

 and, the burrow being short, he caught the bird in his hand, and took 

 it home and fed it on Canary seed, which it ate, but after two days 

 died, and, unfortunately, was thrown away. One of the specimens 

 shot Ukewise ran down a rabbit-burrow after being hit, which suggests 

 that this habit may be common to the species. 



" In Conclusion . — The last time this bird was met with was 

 Easter, 191 1, near Leigh's Creek, when a single bird was seen. The 

 prevalence of drought conditions since that date has prevented its 

 recurrence in that locality. 



" An observant bushman described the nest as being very similar 

 in situation and structure to that of the Pipit {Anthus australis)." 



Notes and Notices, 



Osprey (Egret) Plumes. — ^The Duchess of Portland, writing to The 

 Times, 23rd August, states :■ — " My attention having been called 

 to the fact that mounts of real osprey were recently advertised for 

 sale, I beg that you will allow me through your columns to implore 

 my countrywomen to refrain from purchasing this particular kind 

 of head-dress. I am afraid ladies are not generally aware of the 

 dreadful suffering caused in procuring these feathers. The 

 milliner's osprey (French, aigrette) grows on the back of the 

 WTiite Heron or Egret, and then only in the breeding season, when 

 their nests are congregated together in large numbers. Thus, the 

 birds, although alarmed on the approach of the hunters, are 

 unwilling to leave their offspring, and fall an easy prey to the 

 guns, after which the coveted feathers are plucked from their 



