200 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



purpose beyond taking bearings. However, as their course is 

 generally a direct one it is worth noting. They are great drinkers, 

 and, once arrived at the water, remain in its vicinity for some hours. 

 Amongst the other birds found in the desert were the Field 

 Calamanthus, Galamanthus campestris ; Crested Oreoica, 0. cris- 

 tata, whose nests in the stunted trees were frequently passed ; 

 Pallid Cuckoo, Cacomantis pallidus ; White-breasted Swallow, 

 Cheramceca Uucostemum, with young scarcely able to fly, on 6th 

 October ; Masked Wood-Swallow, Artamas personatus, in large 

 flocks ; Black-faced Wood-Swallow, Artamus melanops ; Chestnut- 

 backed Thrush, Cinclosoma castanonotum ; Cinnamon Thrush, 

 Cinclosoma cinnamomeum ; Swallow Dicaeum, Dicceum hirun- 

 dinaceum; and Western Ground-Parrakeet, Geopsittacus occiden- 

 talis. The following Honey-eaters were also obtained in mallee 

 or mulga scrubs passed through, or on the Acacias which 

 capped the sandhills : — White-eared Honey-eater, Ptilotis leucotis ; 

 Singing, P. sonora ; Keartland's, P. keartlandi ; Pied, Certhioni/x 

 leucomelas ; Black, Myzomela nigra ; and Yellow-throated Minah, 

 Myzantha flavigula. 



Australian Ethnology. — It is expected that Professor 

 Spencer, F.R.S., of the Melbourne University, and Mr. F. J. 

 Gillen, of South Australia, will start from Oodnadatta, the present 

 terminus of the transcontinental railway, nearly 700 miles north 

 of Adelaide, on their expedition for the purpose of studying the 

 habits and customs of the aboriginals of the northern portion of 

 Central Australia, about the middle of the present month. The 

 start has been somewhat delayed owing to the fearful drought 

 which has existed for some time in the portion of the continent 

 to be visited. They also propose to cross into Queensland, and 

 continue Dr. Roth's ethnological work, and afterwards traverse 

 some of the larger rivers of the Northern Territory, and if time 

 permit visit the Wyndham district on Cambridge Gulf in North- 

 West Australia. 



The Mueller Memorial Fund. — It has been decided that 

 the National Fund raised in. memory of the late Baron von 

 Mueller, Government Botanist of Victoria, shall be devoted to the 

 institution of a medal and prize to be awarded at intervals of not 

 less than two years to the author of the most important contribution 

 to natural knowledge which shall have been published in the 

 British dominions not more than five years or less than one year 

 prior to the date of the award, preference being given to work 

 having special reference to Australasia. It is proposed that the 

 Mueller Medal shall be awarded by a committee of the Australasian 

 Association for the Advancement of Science appointed for the 

 purpose every two years. 



