Vol. VIII. 



1909 



] Whitlock, Birds on the Pilbarra Goldfield. 1^70 



Goshawk {Astur approxima?ts). — Rare. A specimen shot by a friend 

 and brought to me, and another, probably its mate, observed in same locaHty 

 by myself a month later. 



OSPREY {Pandion leucocephabts). — A single bird observed on the lower 

 de Grey. 



This concludes the Hawks. I saw nothing of the Lesser Goshawk {Astur 

 crue7iius), and I was both surprised and disappointed at not meeting with 

 the Spotted Harrier {^Circus assimilis) when I reached the open plains. 



Marbled Owl {Ninox ocelIata).—The common Owl of the district. I 

 am inclined to think it a migrant, as I flushed five from the foliage of 

 eucalypts during one morning's walk in the upper Coongan district. In all 

 I found five nests. They were all in hollow limbs at various depths, and, 

 with one exception, a lot of chopping was necessary before the eggs were 

 accessible. Three is the usual number of eggs, which are large for the size 

 of the parent bird. An interval of several days seems to elapse between the 

 laying of each Qgg. The first nest I found was in a very small dead and 

 isolated gum-tree in a secluded gully in the heart of the ranges. The 

 remaining four were all near the main river. 



The only other Owl observed was a solitary example of either Strix 

 delicatula or Strix novce-hollandia. The glimpses of it I got were too 

 fleeting, however, to make identity certain. I failed to discover any 

 evidences of its mate. 



A kangaroo-hunter told me of a small Owl, rather grey in appearance, to 

 be met with on the upper de Grey, but he was unable to give a detailed 

 description of its plumage. 



KwE.^ {Corone atistralis). — All the Crows I examined were Ravens. I 

 found several nests, but in each case was just too late for eggs. 

 It is, of course, possible that the Crow(C coronoides) occurs too. 



Magpie-Lark {GralUna picatd). — Abundant and familiar on both 

 Coongan and de Grey wherever water was obtainable. I observed many 

 nests, both old and new. 



Brown Shrike-Thrush {Collyriocitida brunnea). — Rare, and extremely 

 local. I only met with three pairs — two of them in the same creek and 

 near the old nests of Uroa'etiis midax ; the others in a creek some miles away. 

 I found one nest ; the eggs, however, were unfortunately damaged through a 

 twig falling into the nest. It was blowing a gale at the time. I shot a pair, 

 as I thought I could detect differences in the song, and that the general 

 appearance of the birds was less robust than that of south-western birds. I 

 send them for inspection. 



Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike [Grancalus melanops\ native name 

 Te-by-by. — Not uncommon along the Coongan and de Grey Rivers. 

 Several nests were found ; one obtained away from water and near the old 

 nests of Uroa'etus audax. 



White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater {Lalas^e tricolor). — Not 

 uncommon in suitable haunts along both Coongan and de Grey Rivers. 



Red-capped Robin [Pcfrtvca goodeiiovi). — Distinctly rare, and only met 

 with on the Upper Coongan. I found one nest with young. In the case of 

 another pair the male had not assumed his nuptial plumage. I had noticed 

 this fact previously, years ago, on the Murchison goldfields. 



Pied Robin {^Petroeca picata). — Rare and extremely local, and a 

 migrant. I spent hours trying to locate the nest of one pair, but without 

 success. Later on I saw them feeding a single young bird in some thick 

 scrub. 



Short-billed Tree-Tit {Smic7'ornis brevirostris). — Rare, and extremely 

 local. This was one of the surprises of the trip. I quite expected to meet 



