78 Howe and Tregellas, Rarer Birds of the Mallee. [,sf "oct 



foot of a mallee bush ; the nest contained a full clutch (three) of 

 eggs, so heavily incubated that they were not touched. Two 

 nests of the Scrub-Robin contained chicks, and a Red-throated 

 Whistler, calling from a sand-ridge, directed us, with the result 

 that its mate was flushed from a nest that was ready for eggs. 

 Before reaching camp, a nest, nearly completed, of the Hooded 

 Robin {Melanodryas hicolor) was discovered. This species is very 

 rare in this scrub, but 30 miles to the south it is fairly plentiful. 



During the night the Southern Stone-Curlew, (Edicnemus 

 grallarius {Bnrhinus magnirostris magnirostris), was heard, and 

 the Spotted Nightjar again called incessantly. Rising at 6 a.m. 

 on 2ist September, we entered the scrub and collected eggs of 

 Ground- Wrens and Scrub-Robins from the nests found on the 

 17th, for we anticipated having to shift camp. As the bullocks 

 had not returned when we came back, Mr. Scarce informed us 

 that we would not leave until 24th September, when we would 

 go some seven miles further north, along the border. After 

 breakfast we set out south to investigate a big strip of porcupine- 

 grass country, where Mr. Scarce had located Grass-Wrens. A 

 few mounds of the Mallee-Fowl were opened up, but the birds 

 had not yet started to lay. A nest of the White-browed Babbler 

 held three eggs, and twice we found eggs of the Grey Shrike- 

 Thrush. This form is undoubtedly a connecting link between 

 C. h. harmonica, of Eastern Victoria, and C. rufiventris whitei, of 

 South Australia (Eyre Peninsula). The call note is decidedly 

 different, the eggs are smaller, and the bird more rufous than the 

 form that frequents the scrubs near Melbourne. More nests of 

 the Golden-rumped Pardalote were seen, and in the porcupine 

 grass we saw many Mallee Emu-Wrens and Purple-backed Wren- 

 Warblers. Ground-Wrens and Grass-Wrens were also fairly 

 plentiful, and Bell-Magpies were heard. The last-mentioned bird 

 was nowhere abundant, but farther north a few were seen. 

 Occasional showers made the bush sparkle. Camp was reached 

 fairly early, after about 15 miles of travelling. 



Next morning (22nd September) it was again cold, but we were 

 abroad early after Purple-gaped Honey-eaters. Two birds were 

 shot near the camp, and we saw six species of Honey-eaters in 

 the mallee and porcupine. There were thousands of them here, 

 especially Ptilotis, every flowering tree holding dozens of birds, 

 singing and feeding. After breakfast we started out north- 

 west, and in the porcupine grass heard the call note of the Mallee 

 Emu- Wren — the faintest bird-note of these scrubs. Presently a 

 bird was flushed from a huge clump ; it darted iato the next clump, 

 and in a moment was 30 yards away. But we gradually came 

 near, and a male bird was seen flying into a smaller clump of 

 porcupine. It was hard to dislodge. A female flew into a 

 mallee bush, and the male, as he rejoined her, was secured. A 

 few Striated Grass- Wrens were heard, and occasionally flushed. 

 We discovered two nests of the Purple-gaped Honey-eater, each 

 containing one egg. Both nests were built in the tea-tree 



