414 



few larger than a cricket ball, are left exposed by the shifting 

 sand, which, constantly driving over them, had rounded and 

 polished their surface and left them, on an approximately 

 level bedding. This day we struck a fairly defined waggon 

 track, and though it trended more to the southward than was 

 desirable, we decided to hold to it as long as its direction was 

 consistent. The rabbits seen were mostly sandy in colour ; 

 one I shot essayed to climb a tree before falling back dead. 

 We saw some grey animals, also one black one. It was on 

 this day that I was fortunate in finding the nest and eggs of 

 the Desert Chat, as detailed in the report on the birds. As 

 the day drew on it became quite evident that we were head- 

 ing for Mungeranie, and not Mirra Mitta, and desiring, if 

 possible, to make the bore before camping, we pushed along 

 after dark, using lanterns to illumine the track. We had, 

 however, to give in and lay down in the open without 

 removing our clothes, tired and thirsty, having compassed 

 30 miles during the day and travelled continuously for llf 

 hours. 



Rising early on the 15th our cook went out to reconnoitre, 

 and on returning reported that we were within five miles of 

 the Mungeranie Bore. The course of the hot stream was 

 soon evident from the rising steam (pi. xxviii., fig. 1), and in 

 due time we reached the police station, where Constable and 

 Mrs. Aiston received us most hospitably. Many interesting 

 birds were seen at the bore creek, and as rain-clouds appeared 

 in the evening we did not, I am afraid, require much press- 

 ing on the part of our newly-found friends to induce us to 

 abandon the tents for the shelter of the station house. 

 Fourteen points of rain fell during the night, and the early 

 part of the 16th was utilized in drying our belongings. The 

 verandah of the house had been selected as a nesting site by 

 the Fairy Martins, whose nests crowd the angles of the roof. 

 The bore creek forms a fine and picturesque stream (pi. xxviii., 

 fig. 2). 



We were now again on the sandhills on the Birdsville 

 mail route, which runs due south to Kopperamanna. We 

 reached the Mission Station, now vacated, on the 18th, pass- 

 ing the Government Dam at Ooroowilanie, where we saw a 

 Silver Gull (Larus novae-liollandiae ) ; Mulka, where a pair 

 of Native Companions (Grus rubicunda) were feeding ; 

 and White Well, near which we obtained examples of fossil 

 wood. We next struck westward to Killalpaninna, now the head 

 quarters of the Lutheran Mission. Collecting the camels on 

 the morning of the 19th, we found that one of our team 

 had fought one of the station bulls, and though he had van- 

 quished his rival, he had by no means escaped injury. He 



