Official Organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



" Bir^s of a feather.' 



Vol. X.] 1ST APRIL, 191 1. [Part 5. 



In the Stirling Ranges, Western Australia. 



By F. Lawson Whitlock, Young's Siding, D.R., W.A. 



The Stirling Ranges lie a little over 50 miles to the north of 

 Albany, and may be conveniently reached from Cranbrook rail- 

 way station, on the Great Southern railway. 



The first hills rise abruptly from the surrounding plains about 

 8 miles to the east of Cranbrook, the latter township, according 

 to the railway survey, having a height of 835 feet above sea level. 

 The ranges run almost due east for about 40 miles, when they 

 cease just as suddenly as they appear at their western extremity. 

 A little to the north a series of undulating downs run parallel 

 to the main ranges, but their height is much dwarfed by the latter. 

 I had no time to examine these lower ranges, but I have no doubt 

 they would prove very interesting from a scientific point of view, 

 owing to the proximity of numerous salt lakes to the foot of 

 their northern slopes. From Donelly Peak, on a rather un- 

 favourable day, I counted upwards of 60 of these salt lakes. I 

 was only able to work Lake Balicup, a sheet of water of about 

 3 square miles in area and nowhere deeper than 3 feet Lake 

 Balicup lies at the eastern extremity of the lower ranges which 

 themselves merge into the undulating sand-plain about 20 miles 

 east of Cranbrook. 



The main Stirling Ranges are by no means a terra incognita 

 from a scientific point of view. In September of 1902 Mr. A. W. 

 Milligan, then a resident of this State, organized an expedition 

 to the ranges. He was accompanied by Mr. C. P. Conigrave 

 and Dr. Alex. Morrison, the latter gentleman then holding the 

 position of Government Botanist to this State. The party did 

 excellent work in a limited period (see Emu, vol. iii., p. 9). 

 Other scientists have visited the ranges since that date, but, as 

 far as I know, they had other researches in view, and did little 

 or no ornithological work. 



At the request of Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, New South 

 Wales, I undertook this trip. My special quest was certain rare 

 and little-known birds believed to still exist in the extreme south- 

 west of our State. Mr. White approved of my suggestion that 

 my search might as well commence on the northern slopes of the 

 Stirling Ranges, and, after spending as much time there as I 



