Vol. X. 



igio 



] INIacgillivkay, The Region of the Barrier Range. J^ 



winged Wrens {Malurus) were disturbed from the blue-bush by 

 the wayside. Our road was now skirting the Barrier Range, 

 through blue- and salt-bush country, with occasional turpentine- 

 bushes, whose buds had not yet opened. Mulga begins at the 

 foot of the hills and spreads over them. Occasional pairs of 

 Black-faced Wood-Swallows {Artanius nidanops) were seen. 

 This species, unlike the Masked {A. personatus) or White- 

 browed {A. SHperciliosns), is neither migratory nor gregarious, 

 and is very local in its habits, being seen always either in pairs, 

 or, after the nesting season, in families. It thus tends to form 

 local variations, a condition not possible with the other species 

 mentioned, which migrate regularly from north to south to a 

 greater or less extent, according to food supply, and never 

 permanently inhabit any one locality. We soon arrived at 

 Nulcowinna Station, situate on the creek of the same name, 

 about 30 miles from Broken Hill, stopping only long enough to 

 inquire our way for the next day's journey. 



Proceeding up the creek about 3 miles, we camped and had 

 lunch. Water-pools still remained along the sandy bed ; the 

 gums looked fresh and green, but the feed did not tempt us 

 to keep our horses here too long. Yellow-throated Miners 

 {MyzantJui flavigula), Spiny-cheeked Honey-eaters {AcantJiocJueia 

 rufigidaris), and "Greenies" {Ptilotis peiiicillata) were busy among 

 the gums, and enlivened the creekside with their varied notes. 

 The Red-tipped Pardalote {Parda/oius oniatiis) was heard on 

 every side, and the coo-cooing of the Little Dove {Geopelia 

 cimeata) came from further down the creek. This species and 

 the Ground-Dove {G. tranquil/a) are about equally distributed 

 along all the creeks throughout western New South Wales. 

 Both are ground feeders (on seeds of eucalypts, grasses, and 

 herbage), and never feed away from the protecting shelter of 

 the creek timber. Their seasonal movements are guided mainly 

 by the water supply. Barney Mackay soon found a Yellow- 

 throated Miner's {Myrjantha flavigula) nest, built in a small 

 gum, about 15 feet from the ground; three eggs were in the 

 nest. From an adjoining acacia a Crested Pigeon {OcypJiaps 

 lophotes) flew, revealing her frail platform, on which two eggs 

 could plainly be seen from beneath. Two Bare-eyed Cockatoos 

 {Cacatua gynmopis) flew screeching from a gum-tree, a 

 hollow in which, about 30 feet from the ground, with tell-tale 

 down adhering to the entrance, contained one Q.^g^ resting at 

 the bottom on decayed woody material. Only a ^0:^ yards 

 further on four Galah's {Cacatua roseicnpilla) eggs, in a leaf-lined 

 hollow, about 35 feet from the ground, were chipping. A 

 Boobook Owl {Ninox boohook) hurriedly left another gum. The 

 hollow being deep down in the tree, it was passed by. A 

 pair of Galahs had a hollow neatly lined and ready for eggs. 

 Two old nests of Ocyphaps lophotes were noted in an acacia and. 



