192 



Whitlock, Birds on the Pilbarra Goldfield. [isf April 



North Parrakeet {Barnardius occidentalis)^ native name Pun-bunba. 

 — In scattered pairs all along the Coongan and de Grey. This seems rather 

 a secretive species, and will remain sitting in the shade for hours at a time. 



Except in one instance, when I saw four together, I never observed more 

 than one pair at the same moment. 



I was greatly puzzled with regard to the breeding of this species. I gave 

 a lot of time to the question, but the solitary case in which any evidence of 

 nesting was apparent was on the lower Coongan. I had a native with me, 

 and after a long search he climbed a tree and chopped out a cavity in which 

 he said he thought there was a nest of the " Pun-bunba." The cavity 

 certainly did contain an egg, but this was unfortunately broken by a chip of 

 wood falling upon it during operations. I saw nothing whatever of the birds 

 at the moment. 



I am strongly of opinion that this Parrakeet was not breeding, and may 

 delay nesting operations until the eucalypts are in full bloom, or for some 

 special seed to mature, on which to feed the young. 



On the de Grey the same state of things prevailed, and, though I offered 

 the blacks a liberal reward for either eggs or young, none were brought into 

 camp. 



Betcherrygah (Warbling Grass-Parrakeet) {Mdopsitiacus undti- 

 latus). — Rare on the upper Coongan, but a few lower down that river, and 

 also on the de Grey. Two or three pairs evidently intended nesting in a 

 large gum-tree on the Taiga River, but I was too early for eggs. 



Barred-shouldered Dove {Geopciia hiimeraiis). — I only met with this 

 Dove on the Coongan, where it was far from common. It favoured the 

 tracts of cajaputs, and was most common around my favourite camp, called 

 after the name of the latter tree. It is a noisy bird, and the males perch on 

 some point of vantage and call continually one to the other. It is readily 

 distinguishable on the wing from either of its congeners by the large 

 tract of chocolate feathers on the flanks. When at rest the square and 

 comparatively short tail prevents its being mistaken for the more common 

 G. cuneata. 



I found several nests. As a rule it breeds at a greater elevation than the 

 latter species ; the nest, also, is rather more substantial, and the eggs are 

 larger. The female is a close sitter. The nest is very small, and composed 

 of a few small twigs as a foundation, with a lining of fine roots, the latter 

 being worked into a circular form. 



This is one of the very few birds I have met with possessing a blue iris, 

 the colour of the latter being pale porcelain-blue. 



The call note resembles the syllables " Oily-wattle." 



Ground-Dove {G. tranquilla). — I only met with this Dove in the 

 mangroves at Condon, where it was by no means common. In spite of 

 much labour I only found three nests, the eggs in one of which were on the 

 point of hatching. 



I found the species very timid, quite unlike the acclimatized individuals 

 of the same species at South Perth. I had much trouble in securing a 

 specimen for identification. 



The first nest I found was obviously an adapted Egret's nest, to which no 

 additions had been made. The second was a true Dove's nest, built in a 

 parasitic plant growing on a tall mangrove. The eggs are two in number, 

 and nearly pure white in colour. The call resembles the syllables 

 " Zo-coco." 



Little Dove [G. cu?ieatd), native name Calli-gora. - Very common on 

 both Coongan and de Grey. I found about a dozen nests, the majority with 

 eggs, but some with newly-hatched young. The nests were of the most 

 fragile and diminutive character, and it is only when one sees the young at 

 home that one realizes the nest is quite ample for their accommodation. The 



