^°'j9i4^^'] Barnard, Northern Territory Birds, 30 



Northern Territory Birds. 



By H. G. Barnard. 



Following is a list of birds observed during a collecting trip on 

 the M'Arthur River, N.T., undertaken on behalf of Mr. H. L. 

 White, of Belltrees, Scone, New South Wales. 



The sub-specific name according to Mr. Gregory Mathews's new 

 " List of the Birds of Australia " follows the name according to the 

 R.A.O.U. Check-hst :— 



Dromaius novse-hollandise (Dromiceius novcshollandics wood- 

 wardi). — A few birds were seen in scrubby localities. The blacks 

 brought a pair of eggs to the police station at Borroloola in June, 

 1913- 



Synoicus australis (S. ypsilophoriis cervinus). — A common bird 

 about swampy localities. A female containing a fully-developed 

 egg was shot in May, 191 3, and a set of seven eggs was taken in 

 January, 1914. 



Turnix castanota (Austroturnix castanota castanota). — These 

 birds were fairly common on the spinifex ridges and about the sand- 

 stone bluffs. 



Myristicivora spilorrhoa {M. bicolor spilorrhoa). — The first arrivals 

 were seen on the M'Arthur on loth October. They were afterwards 

 fairly common, and bred on the tops of the bunches of mistletoe 

 growing on the swamp gums along the river. 



Geopelia humeralis (Chrysauchcena h. apsleyi). — A common bird, 

 and one that bred freely in the shrubs and casuarinas growing along 

 the river. 



Geopelia tranquilla (G. placida placida). — This bird was common 

 in all localities, and bred in the scrubby timber. 



Geopelia cuneata {Stictopeleia c. mungi). — Found in brush and 

 among the sandstone and spinifex ridges, where they were breeding. 



Phaps chalcoptera (P. c. consobrina). — They were common in the 

 brush and among the tea-tree, where they were breeding. 



Histriophaps histrionica (H. h. alisteri). — These birds were scarce, 

 and only a few were seen coming to water late in the evening. 



Geophaps smithi (Terraphaps s. smithii). —Great numbers watered 

 at a spring close to the camp during the long, dry summer. Eggs 

 were taken in May, 191 3. 



Lophophaps plumifera (L. p. plumifera). — Fairly common west of 

 Borroloola, in the high sandstone country. 



Hypotaenidia philippensis (H. p. yorki). — Only a single bird was 

 seen ; she was flushed from her nest and shot while on the wing. 



Poliolimnas leucophrys (P. cinereus leucophrys).— These birds came 

 with the rains in January, 1914, and commenced to build in the 

 rushes in small swamps. No eggs had been laid, however, when we 

 left the locality in February. 



Tribonyx ventralis (Microtribonyx v. territorii). — A few birds were 

 seen at some small water-holes filled by storms in December, 191 3. 



Porphyrio melanonotus (P. m. neomelanotus). — Only a few birds were 

 seen, in the rushes growing along the river. 



