Vol. X. 

 1911 



] Whitlock, In the Stirling Ranges, W.A. 313 



and other shrubs. Here I found nests with young, and also 

 young on the wing, early in September. This hill was in a 

 sheltered situation and faced the north. On the sand-plain below 

 I obtained several nests with eggs a little later. All the nests 

 were low down. They were rather loosely constructed of dried 

 grass-stems and lined with vegetable down. The eggs varied 

 even in the same nest. Some were pure white in ground colour, 

 and others had a distinct warm tint about them so pronounced 

 in tone that it might be called very light brown, and resembling, 

 in this respect, eggs of M. longirostris. This tint was very 

 apparent in a nest containing a pure white egg and one of the 

 present type. The markings on the eggs were rather small and 

 sparse and in the form of dark brown spots. Some eggs closely 

 resembled those of Glycyphila fulvijrons, but eggs of the latter 

 were always white in ground colour, and generally distinctly 

 larger. I did not find the Moustached Honey-eater a close sitter. 



The Tawny-crowned Honey-eater [Glycyphila julvifrons) was the 

 commonest bird of the sand-plains. I found many nests. All 

 were within a few inches of the ground, and could hardly be 

 called concealed. The only variation in the eggs was in the 

 character of the markings. In the majority they partook of the 

 form of cloudy, rust-coloured dots and dashes, but in some the 

 place of the latter was taken by very fine points of deep chocolate. 

 This species seems to be able to protect its nests from the visits 

 of the various species of Cuckoo inhabiting the ranges, as, despite 

 the number of nests I found, none contained a Cuckoo's egg. 



Referring to other Honey-eaters, I met with all mentioned by 

 Mr. Milligan, but only saw one pair of Manorhina obscura east of 

 Solomon's Well. I obtained a nest with one egg of Acanthochcera 

 lumdata near Mt. Donelly, but I saw nothing more of this species. 



Of the Falconidce I saw few, and only noted one clutch of eggs. 

 These were referable to the common Brown Hawk {Hieracidea 

 berigora), and were laid in the hollow of a truncated white gum. 

 There was no attempt at a nest. Of the other Hawks, an occasional 

 Sparrow-Hawk [Accipiter cirrhocephalus) or Kestrel {Cerchneis 

 cenchroides) was seen, and in one instance I saw a White- 

 fronted Falcon {Falco lumdatus) flying at great speed towards the 

 ranges. There were untenanted nests of the Wedge-tailed Eagle at 

 Lake Balicup and also at Yetermirrup, but I saw none of these 

 Eagles on the wing. Like Mr. Milligan, not a single Crow or 

 Raven did I see during the whole trip. 



Parrots were not common, but an interesting addition to Mr. 

 Milligan's list is the Grass-Parrakeet {Neophema elegans]. I saw 

 a single pair at Lake Balicup. Barnardiiis semitorquatus — the 

 common " Ring-neck " of settlers — was distinctly rare. The Red- 

 capped Parrakeet {Porphyrocephalus spiirius) was more in 

 evidence, and I was fortunate enough to locate a nest. I fre- 

 quently met with pairs, or even small parties, of this species away 

 from the timber on the sand-plains, and think it quite possible 

 they were last year's progeny, and not breeding. The nest I 



