THE WOMBAT. 69 



Our Launceston friends have just held a very successful 

 Intercolonial Photographic Exhibition, nearly 1,500 exhibits 

 being shown. Four of our members competed, and three 

 secured places among the prize takers — Mr. C. O. Dentry 

 1st for h; plate yachting ; Mr. A. J. Wood 1st, and Mr. J. 

 Hammerton 2nd for J plate landscape. The members of the 

 Northern Tasmania Camera Club are to be complimented 

 upon the success that has attended their efforts in connection 

 with this Exhibition. 



NOTES FROM THE XMAS. CAMP. 



By H. E. Hill. 



Partly because of the illness of one member of the party, 

 and partly because of the amount of time spent in watching 

 the birds in the immediate vicinity of the camp, and in 

 the securing of specimens, very little walking was done during 

 the '95-'g6 Xmas. camp, and consequently the cameras were 

 seldom called into requisition, and very few fresh birds were 

 noted. 



When we first reached the St. George valley, where we 

 fixed our camp, we noticed the great number of " cartwheel " 

 birds that were calling on all sides. The whole time we 

 were out they seemed very plentiful, and whereas on previous 

 trips we had never been able to even get a sight of the bird, 

 on this trip we not only saw a number, but were fortunate 

 enough to secure two — a male and a female — both in fine 

 condition. It turns out to be the rufus-headed bristle bird 

 (Sphenura broadbenti — McCoyj. We found afterwards that 

 fires had been through a great many of the gullies about the 

 ranges during the previous twelve months, and that the under- 

 growth had been in many cases completely destroyed, so that 

 the great abundance of the birds may have been only 

 apparent, the birds really having been driven nearer the coast 

 by the destruction of their usual haunts. We searched 

 diligently for a nest, but without success. 



ESTABLISHED 18' 



ALBERT COFFEE PALACE, 



Corner of Yarra Street and Market Square, 



GEELOMG. 



CLOSE TO BATHS, RAILWAY. SHIPPING AND GARDENS. 



