122 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



ground. It is noticed then that most of the feathered tribe keep 

 near the river bed, doubtless so that they may obtain the 

 necessary supply of food for tliemselves and their young. In 

 this paper I will, however, endeavour to deal with the species of 

 birds met with during ouf trip, and to do so just in the order that 

 w-e were introduced to them. 



Outside the township of Hopetoun is the sheet of water called 

 Lake Norong, and in the timber skirting it we heard and saw the 

 beautiful Black-tailed Parrakeet, Polytelis onelanura, and also the 

 Red-backed Parrakeet, Psejyhotus hcematonotus, but we were 

 destined to see and learn more of these two birds and their habits 

 later on. During the journey from Hopetoun to Yallum several 

 classes of country were passed through. Leaving the redgum we 

 passed into belts of box tree and finally into the Mallee. In the 

 box timber the Striped Honey-eater, Plectorhyyichus lanceolatus, 

 and the Oreoica were heard, and other birds, such as the Bee- 

 eater, Merops ornatiis, the Tree Martin, Petrochelidon nigricans, 

 the Pardalote, P. striatus, and the Xerophila, or White-face, were 

 fairly numerous, while the White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater, 

 Campophaga tricolor, was quite plentiful, and its merry song was 

 heard in all directions. One nest with two fresh eggs was found, 

 and a nest of the White-face containing four eggs was taken 

 from a cavity in a dead tree trunk. While crossing a fine stretch 

 of grass two male Song-Larks, Cinclorhamphns rufescens, and one 

 of the larger brown species, G. cruralis, were startled, and soared 

 away, uttering their curious songs, but we had no time to spend 

 hunting for their nests hidden away among the long grass. A 

 little further on our track was a swamp, the water in which was 

 evaporated to such an extent that only a thick sludge remained. 

 On the muddy margin we observed a pair of Shieldrake or 

 Mountain Duck, Casarca tadornoides, while Spurwing Plover were 

 circling around overhead, anxious lest we should disturb their 

 eggs or young, which no doubt were in the vicinity. After enter- 

 ing the Mallee we noted no birds at all, but as it was late the few 

 inhabitants may have gone to roost for the night. 



Next morning we took a short trip under the leadership of our 

 guide, Mr. Chas. M'Lennan, who promised to take us to the 

 home of the Mallee Fowl. We passed through country known as 

 " sandy Mallee." The soil is very poor, being mostly sand, and 

 supports a vegetation consisting for the most part of the Euca- 

 lyptus gracilis, which in this class of soil grows about 12 feet 

 high, but the round clumps of porcupine grass (Spinifex), are in 

 profusion. Ridge after ridge is crossed, and there seems to be 

 no end. Standing on one rise we see series of rises in all direc- 

 tions, and we could readily imagine the sorry plight of a lost 

 traveller in such a place, for as far as the eye can reach there is 

 nothing but the undulations of the Mallee appearing one behind 



