2l6 Whitlock, In the Stirling Ranges, W .A . [,sf April 



wing. Its congener, the Western Scarlet-breasted Robin (P. 

 camphelli) was by no means common, but one pair built a pretty 

 nest in a tea-tree near my camp at Yetermirrup. 



I am able to confirm Mr. Conigrave's note as to the presence of 

 the Chestnut-backed Ground-Bird (Cindosoma castanonohis) in the 

 ranges. I saw individuals more than once near Solomon's Well, 

 and on one occasion a male was calling from the limb of a dead 

 white gum at a height of 25 feet. 



Amongst other nests observed at that locality I must mention 

 three of the Grey-breasted Shrike-Robin [Eopsaltria gularis). 

 One of these was low down, but the others, on the contrary, 

 were at heights varying from 15 to 25 feet. All the nests were 

 somewhat loosely constructed, but were cleverly disguised on the 

 outside by longitudinal strips of grey bark. An easy way to find 

 these nests when the female is brooding is to watch the male. 

 He feeds his mate assiduously as she sits on the nest. At 

 Solomon's Well, Lake Balicup, and almost as far south as Mt. 

 Barker, I saw some beautiful Bee-eaters {Merops ornatus). The 

 native name is " Berrin-berrin " — an adaptation of the call-note. 

 Though our coastal sand-hills would seem to present an attractive 

 haunt to this species, I have only once met with it there. I refer, 

 of course, to our south coast, east and west of Albany. 



When camped near Lake Matilda my attention was attracted 

 by the harsh and guttural notes of a local Reed- Warbler {Acro- 

 cephalus). I had hitherto regarded the notes of this bird as 

 amongst the sweetest uttered by our native songsters, but these 

 Lake Matilda birds could hardly be called songsters when their 

 efforts were contrasted with those of Swan River or other Reed- 

 Warblers heard further north. Lake Matilda, however, was 

 exceptionally high, and things were not improved by a further 

 fall of 5 inches of rain in 48 hours whilst I was camped there. 

 Though it was the first week in November, building operations 

 were hardly in full swing. I found three nests, which were only 

 reached by swimming out to the circle of reeds encompassing 

 the lake. I failed to get a bird to make identification certain. 

 The nest and eggs seemed typical of Acrocephalns longirostris. 

 Possibly the harsh notes had been learned from the swarms of 

 frogs inhabiting the lake ; but the matter is worthy of the atten- 

 tion of any other ornithologist who may visit the locality. 



Among other birds on Lake Matilda were a few pairs of Blue 

 Bald-Coots {Porphyrio bellus). I caught a pair of newly-hatched 

 young. I also noticed nests on the branches of half-submerged 

 trees that looked like those of the pied Little Cormorant 

 [Pyrrhocorax melanoleucus) . Wading and swimming in these lakes 

 are not altogether a pleasant pastime. I came out after one 

 attempt with my legs streaming with blood and with repulsive- 

 looking leeches clinging to my skin. 



The heavy rains made the exploration of the various pools and 

 swamps between Mt. Barker and the coast a matter of great 

 difficulty, and I have no doubt the sudden rise of water brought 



