32 Macgillivray, The Region of the Barrier Range. [isf'ju 



" Budgerigars " {Melopsittacus undulaUts) prospecting for 

 hollows in which to nest. We skirted a sand-hill for a few miles, 

 and came to Wyalla Lake, a large sheet of water surrounded by 

 box trees, with many dead and living trees in the water and a 

 fair growth of" lignum " where the watercourses ran into it. There 

 were a few Ducks and Swans on the water, but no shore birds. 

 Hundreds of Native-Hens {Microtribonyx) ran among the lignum. 

 M'Lennan and I walked round the lake, to get an idea of the 

 place for a permanent camp and collecting ground. We found 

 many White-browed Babblers and Miners, and flushed a Pink 

 Cockatoo or Wee-juggler {Cacatua leadbeateri) from an old dead 

 box not 50 yards from the margin of the lake ; three eggs were 

 in the hollow. The box was in flower, and had attracted 

 numbers of White-plumed Honey-eaters i^Ptilotis penicillatd) and 

 Miners to the feast of insects and honey. Cockatoo-Parrakeets 

 {Calopsittacus novce-Jiollandice), in small flocks and pairs, and 

 " Budgerigars " were chattering and squabbling among the trees. 

 The Cockatoo-Parrakeets we had been meeting since leaving 

 Gardiner's Creek, flying south in small flocks and pairs. A few 

 White-rumped Wood-Swallows {Artaniits leucogaster) had mated, 

 but were not nesting ; and although some of the Ducks were 

 in pairs there was no general nesting of these birds — they 

 seemed to be waiting for a good rain and flooded condition of 

 the country. This year the aquatic birds seemed to be fewer 

 than usual throughout the district ; it is probable that the 

 heavy rains and flooded country along the Murray are 

 responsible for this. Wading through an arm of the lake, 

 we came to a fencers' camp, over which several Kites and 

 Whistling Eagles were hovering. In the afternoon we returned 

 to this arm and waded among the lignum and dead timber 

 growing in the water. No birds were breeding^in the lignum, 

 except an occasional Pigeon {OcypJiaps), although the loud song 

 of the Reed- Warbler {Acrocephalus aiistralis) and the plaintive 

 pipings of the little Grass-Bird {Megalarus graviineus) came 

 from many of the bushes. In the dead timber standing in the 

 water two nests of the Galah were found, and several of the 

 Cockatoo- Parrakeet. None of the latter had complete clutches, 

 nesting having only just commenced. Many of the nests were 

 situated in small stumps and often at water-level. The Pied 

 Honey-eater {Certhionyx varicrgatus) was noted here, feeding in 

 the blossoming box and lignum, but occasionally flying out to 

 the surrounding sand-ridges to visit the flowering turpentine and 

 honeysuckle trees {Ereniophila longifolia). This Honey-eater 

 is very shy, and we had great difficulty in getting near 

 enough to procure specimens. It is also very quick on the 

 wing. It flies, singing, into the air from the top of a tree, and 

 suddenly drops, always turning over backward in its descent. 

 M'Lennan and I, after arranging with the others to camp near 



