172 



Notes and Notices. [j^^ "]"„_ 



as before. I tomahawked my way up. The tree was very 

 hollow and shaky, though still alive. On looking down the 

 spout from which the Owl had flown I could just discern the 

 three eggs ; I chopped a hole accordingly, and secured them 

 safely — a fine, perfect clutch. Then for the Kestrel. The end 

 of the hollow limb from which the sitting bird had flown was 

 dead ; I broke this away and could then see the four beautiful 

 eggs. I brought all down safely. My next objective point 

 was Limestone Creek, another tributary of the Coongan 

 River. En route I found m.y first nest of the Red Plumed-Pigeon 

 {I^opJiopJiaps. ferruginea) ; this was about 10 chains from the 

 creek, on " white ground," and where the spinifex was very short 

 and sparse. I put the sitting bird off the nest, which was quite 

 unconcealed and merely a little hollow lined with dry particles 

 of spinifex. The two eggs are cream-coloured and elliptical in 

 shape. Re Astur cinereus, it occurred to me to visit the old nest 

 again, as in England the Sparrow-Hawk will lay again in the same 

 nest after being robbed. I was not disappointed : the old bird 

 was on, so up the tree I went and found two m.ore lovely eggs ; 

 they could hardly be better marked. I knew the Chestnut-eared 

 Finch {Tceniflpygia castanotis) was breeding in the same tree — 

 one nest was attached to the foundation of the Hawk's nest, and 

 contained one egg; but a surprise was in store. In a hollow 

 spout was a second nest, and a blackboy who climbed the tree 

 for me reported " Plenty &^^ in there," at the same time throwing 

 one out. I told him to come down, when, peeping in myself, I 

 found no less than nineteen (19) eggs. I secured them as a 

 curiosity. I have secured two more fine clutches of the Long- 

 billed Magpie {GymnorJiina longifostris). Doves.- — ^ Several 

 more perfect clutches of the Little Dove {Geopciia aineatd) 

 and one clutch of the Barred-shouldered Dove {Geopelia 

 hui/ieralis). Owls. — History repeats itself. In hunting for a 

 nest of Dacelo cervina I flushed another female of Nhiox ocellata 

 ofl" her three eggs ; these were heavily incubated. Artanms. — I 

 have several beautiful clutches of ^. venustus. With regard to 

 the Little Wood-Swallow {A. minor'), this species haunts the 

 rockiest gullies in the whole district, and unless there are cliffs 

 it does not occur. Of the nests in prospect, one is in an old 

 nest of the Fairy Martin {Petrocheltdon arid) ; another in a very 

 narrow cleft of rock — 1 can just get my hand in edgeways; 

 another is in the hollow spout of a small gum-tree, and the 

 fourth in a cleft of rock again. Parrots and Cockatoos. — No 

 luck yet. Of the Rufous Bush- Lark {Mirafra zvoodivardi) I 

 found a nest, but, alas ! it contained two well-grown young ones. 

 Cisticola. — This is a very cunning bird, I have a pair under 

 observation, and still hope to get eggs, as it may be a new 

 species. No signs of Carter Desert-Bird {Ereviiornis carteri) 

 yet, but the flat where I think this species might occur is of such 

 vast extent that I may yet find the birds. 



