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Official Organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



Bir^is of zi feather.' 



Vol. XIV.] 



1ST APRIL, 191 5. 



[Part 4. 



An Expedition to the Musgrave and Everard Ranges. 



By (Capt.) S. a. White. M.B.O.U., President R.A.O.U. 



It was only in October, 1913, that my wife and I returned from 

 a 1,300-mile camel trip from Oodnadatta into the Macdonnell 

 Ranges. The account of this expedition and the work accom- 

 plished has been published by the Royal Society of South Aus- 

 tralia, vol. xxxviii., 1914. In May, 1914, news came to hand that 

 the Government of South Australia was fitting out an expedition 

 to explore the country to the west of the head of the railway line 

 as far as it was possible within the space of six months. Now, 

 this country had been included in my programme of the year 

 before, but I had cut it out, on account of bad news concerning 

 the natives. As I had my wife with me, and my party was small, 

 I did not wish to run unnecessary risks. Now was my chance 

 to get into this country under the wing of a large party, and, by 

 courtesy of the Minister for Mines, Sir Richard Butler, I was 

 unofficially attached to the party. Having had a very hard 

 time the previous year doing all the collecting and curing of 

 specimens, besides looking out the route, &c., I determined to 

 take assistance with me. Extreme luck came my way, as I was 

 able to secure the valuable services of Mr. J. P. Rogers, a man 

 whose name will be remembered for the work he did alone while 

 collecting for Mr. G. M. Mathews in the North- West of Australia. 



In the early morning of 17th June, 1914, our party caught the 

 fortnightly train to Oodnadatta, and reached there, at the dead- 

 end of the line, after three miserable days' railway travelling to 

 cover 700 miles through a drought-stricken country. We found 

 that our camel team, which was on its way up from Hergott 

 Springs, had not arrived, and we were delayed two or three days. 

 For the first part of this time the leader of the expedition kept 

 us busy getting the outfit in order ; but after that my assistant 

 and myself put in the time working the district ornithologically, 

 with much success. 



The expedition moved out one morning to the north-west, and 

 comprised Mr. R. L. Jack, Assistant Government Geologist, 

 leader; the writer and his assistant, Mr. J. P. Rogers; W. 

 WiUiams and J. Nicholls, prospectors; J. Sullivan, camel man 



14 



