on his Visit to Australia.



77



one afternoon we walked over to it, crossing moor-land covered

with a kind of heather and low scrub. We found two Stump¬

tailed Lizards which went into our pockets. An Australian

Bustard or so-called Wild Turkey (. Eupodotis australis ) was seen

flying over the moor and settled some distance from us. With

my field-glasses I watched the bird closely, and could see that he

was also watching us, as he kept perfectly still with head raised

in the air. My companion endeavoured to stalk him while I

remained where I was. Needless to say the bird rose and dis¬

appeared long before my friend was within gun shot. These

magnificent birds are getting very scarce as everyone tries to

shoot them for “ the pot.” But every year a few visit this neigh¬

bourhood about midsummer to feed on the myriads of grass¬

hoppers. The Short-tailed Wallaby abounds here, and their

tracks through the scrub and on the sand of the sea-shore run in

every direction. A pair of Brown Hawks came sailing out to¬

wards the sea as we stood on the beach.


The evening before we left this neighbourhood we went

for a row along the Margaret River. By the footpath close to

the river I noticed several Sacred Kingfishers ( Halcyon sa?icta).

The river banks were steep and wooded on one side, and quite a

number of “Squeakers” accompanied us along the river bank

uttering loud cries as if in protest at our appearance. White-

fronted Herons (Ardea novcz-hollandicz ) were numerous along the

margin of the stream and rose at our approach ; and overhead a

pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles {Aquila audax) floated on motionless

pinions.


Early in the morning of January 28th we left on our return

to Perth. During the drive of some 35 miles to Basselton we saw

several interesting birds. Parties of Pileated Parrakeets, called

in this district “ King Parrots,” were often seen as they dashed

through the forests and “Twenty-Eights” were everywhere.

The Western form of the White-backed Piping Crow was quite

common, and we saw several Wedge-tailed Eagles. One large

party of Purple-crowned Lorikeets ( Glossopsittaais porphyroce-

phaius ) passed over us, uttering the cries so peculiar to Lorikeets

of all kinds ; but, like those we saw near the Mammoth Cave,

they were as “ wild as hawks,” dashing away when I walked

towards the tree into which we saw them go.



