Vol. xiv.-i Howe and Tregellas, Rarer Birds of the Mallee. 79 



1914 J 



{Melaleuca). A pair of Scrub-Robins was watched for some time, 

 the female always returning to the same spot. Eventually a 

 young bird was found, crouched against a small dead stick. Ihe 

 colour of the chick harmonized well with its surroundmgs, and it 

 remained so still that we probably had passed many of them. We 

 examined the chick, the parents running round excitedly in short 

 circles and with drooping wings and tail. It was amusing to see 

 them when the young one was released and started to run, with 

 a parent on either side, till at a safe distance from us. Late in 

 the afternoon flatter country was reached. The mallee was a 

 little taller and here we noticed many Black-eared Miners, but 

 they were not yet nesting. A Black-backed Magpie {Gymnorhtna 

 tihicen) had taken possession of the largest tree. There were 

 some Black-backed Wrens in the turpentine, and a pair of Brown- 

 headed Honey-eaters, Melithreptus brevirostris {Mehthreptus atri- 

 capillus mallee), were feeding in a blossoming mallee bush. This 

 is a rare bird north of Carina, and only a few were noticed. At 

 dusk we retraced our steps, finding, en route, a nest of the Yellow- 

 rumped Pardalote, containing young. Some Mallee Emu-Wrens 

 were flushed, but, fortunately for the birds, we could not get 



near them. , ' • x ^ 



The night was frosty, and it was sharp on the morning of 23rd 

 September. The camp was early astir, and preparations for 

 moving were made. All tents were struck, kit assembled, and the 

 load was on the waggon by 10 a.m. We started for the unknown 

 north Walking parallel with the waggon as it crashed through 

 the scrub, we jogged on through the day, over sand-ridges and 

 across spinifex country, now and then sighting the waggon. In 

 a clump of porcupine grass a Red-throated Whistler's nest was 

 found, containing two eggs. After we had been walking for 

 about 4 miles the mallee assumed larger dimensions, and here 

 we met with the Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Glossopsttta porphyro- 

 cephala {Glossopsitta p. porphyrocephala), but it was rare, only 

 some six specimens being noticed during our trip. About bo miles 

 south-east, however, they are to be seen in thousands. Iwice 

 we flushed an Owlet Nightjar from a hollow, and nests (containing 

 fresh eggs) of the Yellow-rumped Pardalote, Black-backed Magpie, 

 and White-browed Babbler were found. In a nest beneath a 

 small tea-tree a Scrub-Robin, just hatched, was seen. Three oi 

 the men killed a large snake (non-venomous), measuring about 

 8 feet in length. As we approached the site of our new camp 

 the country suddenly altered— the sand-ridges were much taller, 

 closer together, and not always running east and west but otten 

 north and south, and forming gulUes overgrown with tall tea- 

 tree Twice we located Scrub-Robins in these, and in each case 

 the nest contained a chick. A mound of the Mallee-Fowl was 

 opened, and found to be ready for the eggs. We reached the 

 new camp at about 4-30 p.m. It was on a srn all round plain, 

 bounded by sand-ridges on the west, and covered with turpentine 

 and grass A solitary tree grew in the centre of the plain. Before 



