^°'i9>'^'] Whitlock, Tn the Stirlhig Ranges, W.A. 315 



viz., Black Duck {Anas superciliosiis). Teal {Nettion castanevm), 

 and Mountain-Duck (Casarca tadornoides). Of the two former 

 I found several nests, photographing a Teal's nest with thirteen 

 eggs in situ. There were three nests of this species on a very small 

 islet in the lake. I also captured two young, in down, of the 

 Mountain-Duck. In England the Common Sheldrake {Tadorna 

 casarca) breeds in rabbit burrows in the coastal sand-hills. There 

 were a good many burrows of the dulgete {Peregale lagotis) around 

 Lake Balicup, and I think it probable that a pair or two of the 

 local Mountain-Ducks may have been breeding in them. 



The only Waders on the lake were a few Red-fronted Dottrels 

 {Mgialitis ruficapilla) and a flock of about 150 Banded Stilts 

 {Cladorhvnchns aiistralis). The latter seemed to consist of adult 

 birds only. A few pairs of Black Swans (Chenopsis atrata) were 

 also present. At Lake Matilda, a sheet of fresh water near Ten- 

 terden and some 8 miles from the foot of the ranges, were some 

 pairs of Musk-Ducks {Biziura lohata). 



I found Wood-Swallows {Artamiis) fairly plentiful, especially 

 around Lake Balicup, but only of one species — viz., A. sorduhis. 

 Amongst other situations, I saw a nest on the top of a broken 

 stump. Other pairs, again, were breeding at a considerable 

 height. 



The Restless Flycatcher {Sisiira inquieta) was not uncommon 

 in the same locality, and it was an agreeable experience to be 

 able to examine nests almost within reach, and without any climbing 

 at all. One nest I examined was at a height of not more than 

 8 feet, and contained mummified young birds. Possibly the 

 parents had fallen victims to their curiosity, for I saw a pair 

 flitting about the head of a large monitor lizard, who was plainly 

 only watching his opportunity to make a capture. 



Another bird mentioned by Mr. Milligan is the White-bellied 

 Shrike-Tit {Falcuncidus leiicogaster). The nest of this species was 

 one of the special objects of my quest. I found the species dis- 

 tinctly rare ; but it is a difficult bird to find, and, moreover, from 

 its very quiet and unobtrusive manners, hable to be overlooked. 

 In all, I do not think I saw more than four pairs. I spent hours 

 in watching them. Generally, they were in the tops of white 

 gums, but once or twice I saw a female in small acacia scrub. I 

 often, at first glance, mistook Melithrcptus whitlocki for this species. 

 Both birds have the same habit of hanging from the slender twigs 

 of eucalypts, which they search for food. With its powerful beak 

 the Shrike-Tit strips off any loose bark it may find, and under 

 which spiders spin their cocoons. When I observed this habit 

 first I was in hopes the birds were collecting building material ; 

 but in all cases the strip of bark was carried to a convenient 

 perch, and there the spider or its eggs was devoured. The call- 

 note is a single " ko," or " koo," very softly uttered. Once or 

 twice I was successful in calling the birds up, but more often than 

 not I brought pairs of the Hooded Robin (Pciraxa bicolor). Of the 

 latter I found nests with eggs, and also observed young on the 



