166 WHITE— A Trip on the Coorong. 



in fact hot, and the nights cool with heavy Jews. I had seen 

 and heard Scrub-wren in large lignum bushes near our camp, 

 but for a long while in spite of all my efforts could not 

 secure one, but after many attempts succeeded, and as soon as 

 I handled it it seemed new to me (see "S.A. Ornithologist/' 

 Vol. II., P. 169.) 



Next morning I was out at peep of day and took up a ijosi- 

 tion to watch for Bristle Birds, the whole of the depression 

 under me was filled with dense fog at daylight, and 

 it looked as if the deep depression were half full of 

 snow or cotton wool, soon it 'began to rise and 

 envelop everything around me for some time, soaking 

 the vegetation in moisture, then the sun arose and 

 pierced the great white pall that hung over the hills and val- 

 leys, as it rose the bright rays fell on a sand hill a hundred 

 yards or more away. Here the morning song of Bristle 

 Bird burst forth and was carried" on down the gully, soon after- 

 wards by the aid of glasses I saw two fine birds coming out 

 on the bare white sand, chasing one another in a most play- 

 ful manner. Their long tails which swept the ground gave 

 them more the appearance of mammals or reptiles than birds, 

 they were well out of range, and when I shifted they were 

 gone like a shot. Returning to the camp for breakfast, 

 and went out again in the evening to sit listening to the 

 Bristle Birds' evening song, just as the sun goes down one bird 

 starts, then it is taken up and passed on till out of hearing. 

 (Sitting perfectly quiet a bird darted over an open space to 

 make cover on the other side, tout I was too quick and procured 

 it. Each day I was out at daylight collecting and observing, 

 returning to ia late breakfast. We would then row over to the 

 mainland. On the 12th we did this and worked out amongst 

 the sheoak and tea-tree scrub, quite a number of birds was 

 found there. A pair of fine Wedge-tailed Eagles were soaring 

 high up over head. As would be expected in sheoak country, 

 the Narrow-toilled Tree-runner was plentiful, as soon as we 

 reached the tea-tree the familiar call of the Singing Honey- 

 eater could toe heard in many directions. The New Holland 

 Money-eater was also plentiful, the rich full note of the Har- 

 monious Shrike-thrush was often heard, and several toirds seen. 

 The twittering call of the (Melithreptiis brevifostris) could not 

 toe mistaken, as they flew from tree to]) to tree top in small 

 parties. Yellow-rumped Tits were very plentiful, and several 

 i'M-.fe parties of Bed-mmped Grass Parrots were" met with in 

 the she-oak country. Spink-cheeked Honey-eaters were pleri- 



