438 



where the wild fig (Ficus platypoda) grows in abundance, for 

 the fruit of this plant seems to form a large item in their 

 diet. While watching for these birds one day (I had a wild 

 native with me) we heard a crow call amongst the rocks over- 

 head, and directly afterwards the harsh call of the red-rumped 

 kingfisher. The native made me understand that it was the 

 bower bird which was imitating the two other birds. This 

 I am sure was correct, for I could not see either a crow or 

 kingfisher about. I was informed at Alice Springs that these 

 birds are great mimics, and that a young bird had been cap- 

 tured by the natives and kept in confinement for some time 

 and was then liberated. The bird did not go away from the 

 telegraph station, and could be heard in the trees close by 

 every day imitating dogs, fowls, etc., and it is said that the 

 bird made use of a number of native words. The natives 

 told me these birds build a nest of sticks in a mulga, 12 or 

 15 ft. from the ground, and lay two eggs. 



Family CORVID^]. 

 Corvus coronoides perplexus (Southern Crow). 



These birds were fairly plentiful, and scattered all over 

 the country. 



Corvus bennetti (Small-billed Crow). 



This is a new record for the central regions. The two 

 former expeditions had not noted, most likely, that there 

 were two species of crows. Specimens were taken in the 

 MacDonnell Ranges and through the country between there 

 and Oodnadatta, often in company with C. coronoides. 



ADDENDUM. 



The "Austral Avian Record" has just come to hand, 

 and in it I find that Mr. G. M. Mathews, of England, has 

 dealt with much of the material sent to him by the writer 

 after returning from his trip into the interior. Mr. Mathews 

 has been able to describe quite a number of new sub-species, 

 which necessitates the following corrections to my list : — 

 Acanthiza pusilla should read Acanthiza p. jayi, Mat. 

 Diaphorillas textilis should read Diaphorillas t. pnrnelli, 



Mat. 

 Gymnorhina tibicens should read Gymnorhina t. finkei, 



Mat. 

 Aphelocephala leucopsis should read Aphelocephala casta- 



neiventris whitei, Mat. 

 Pardalotinus striatus should read Pardalotinus s. finkei, 



Mat. 

 Emblema picta should read Emblema p. ethelce, Mat. 



