Vol. VIII. 

 igoy 



J Notes and Notices. ' 17I 



the line of gum-trees along the rivers and larger creeks, 

 which in seasons like the present actually present the spectacle 

 of bright, clear, running water ! I cannot describe to you 

 in adequate terms the rougliness of some of these rocky 

 creeks, where one must look before making a step, and where 

 one is nearly driven mad by the tormenting swarms of bush 

 flies, the sweltering heat and want of water. At the " Caja- 

 puts" I found a nest of Ptilotis carteri with three eggs, one 

 of which differs from the others. Without wishing to raise 

 hopes that may not be realized, it will be well worth while to 

 submit the odd q.%^ to a Cuckoo expert for critical examina- 

 tion. I took one undoubted Cuckoo's &g^ in the nest of the 

 White-\ented Wood-Swallow {Artamus vennstus). West of 

 " Cajaput " camp lies a huge spinifex flat, with a big timbered 

 creek running nearly parallel to the Coongan River. I had 

 several Hawks' nests under observation along that creek. The 

 first was a nest of the Little Eagle (^Nisa'ciusmorphioides), at the 

 top of a big, spreading gum-tree. The nest was about 55 feet 

 above the bed of the creek and on rather a thin limb. However, 

 the morning was calm, and I determined to try to scoop the eggs 

 from the nest. With the aid of a fallen dead limb, and by 

 cutting steps with a tomahawk, I reached the first branch, when 

 down fell the scoop. I would not climb down that thick trunk 

 again, so up I went, minus the scoop, until I could see right into 

 the nest, which was on a horizontal limb of not too thick dimen- 

 sions. I was determined to have those two eggs, so worked my 

 way cautiously along the limb until the critical moment came. 

 I had to let go with both hands and lean forward to grab the eggs. 

 Fortunately the day was calm, and I got both eggs and myself 

 safely down the tree. They are a perfect clutch, almost un- 

 spotted, and more pointed than the Irwin River specimens I sent 

 you. The nest was about 2 feet in diameter, with a fairly deep 

 cavity, lined with green eucalyptus leaves. I had a very satis- 

 factory view of the parent birds, and their indentity is beyond 

 question. My next nest was that of the Striped Brown Hawk 

 {Hicracidea berigora). Both parent birds were in a neighbouring 

 tree, and allowed of a minute examination, so I did not shoot 

 them. The nest contained two typical eggs. It was a hot day, 

 and after these two climbs I was dry, so determined to make for 

 a neighbouring pool of water. It was not long before I heard 

 the curious notes of the Fawn-breasted Kingfisher {Dacelo 

 cervina), so gave every likely-looking tree an inquiring thump 

 with the back of my tomahawk. The result was unexpected, 

 for in a very small side creek, with a few stunted gums growing 

 in it, a hollow tree gave forth not only a Marbled Owl {Nznox 

 ocellata), but also a Western Kestrel {Cerc/ineis tinicolor). What 

 with the heat, thirst, and two heavy climbs, I was too tired to 

 do anything at the moment. I returned very early next morn- 

 ing, and after my inquiring knocks out popped the same birds 



