28 THE WOMBAT. 



Acanthocheera caruncnlata. — Very common indeed. Breeding. 



Seems to prefer rather dense scrub to open country. Occurs 



also in the town. 

 13/8/98. An albino wattlebird was brought in to the Bendigo 



Museum. It was not of a pure white, being rather of a 



silvery appearance. 

 Pardalotus ornatus. ) — Both abundant, breeding here. Once 

 Pardalotue punctatus. \ found a striated pardalote in my room. 

 Hirundo neoxena. — Always abundant everywhere in district. 



Breeds freely. 

 Petrochelidon ariel. — The fairy martin may be seen anywhere in 



the district, but it is perhaps most plentiful towards 



Strathfieldsaye. Fairly abundant in the granite country 



towards Bavenswood. Have never seen them here before 



September and they appear to begin building in October, 



when they breed freely. 

 Anthus australis. — Common in parts. 



Artamus superciliosus. 1 — In great numbers everywhere during 

 Artamus sordidus. J the season, their nests being found all 



over the place. 



Artamus personatus. — Also breeds here, 



Stasranopleura guttata. ") m , . .« 



2c & . ,, r , ° ,. J- — To be seen occasionally. 

 iLgintha temporalis. ) J 



Alcyone azurea. — To be seen occasionally near creeks — Axe Creek, 

 the Campaspe, &c. 



Dacelo gigas. — Occasional birds anywhere in the district, but more 

 plentiful away from the scrub. 



Halcyon sanctus. — Notcommon. Breeding. On 20/11/98 I found 

 a couple of nests at hpsom. In the bank of a gully I found 

 a tunnel which I thought belonged to a pardalote, and while 

 I was digging it out a sacred kingfisher suddenly appeared 

 in a state of great agitation. On digging further I presently 

 caught sight of the eggs with the other bird crouched behind 

 them, apparently in great fear. As she would not leave the 

 nest I had to put my hand in and lilt her out, when she 

 came without a struggle and lay quite still in my hand for a 

 moment before endeavouring to escape. The nest contained 

 five fresh eggs on the bare earth. Close by another king- 

 fisher flew from a tunnel which, on investigation, showed 

 also five eggs, hard set. The second nest had a bed about 

 half-an-inch deep of wingcases and other remains of beetles, 

 &c, as if one bird had fed its mate while the latter sat. Or 

 it may have been an old tunnel in use for a second time. 



Cuculus pallidus. — Very abundant in the season. 



Cacomantis flabelliformis. — Have seen a single individual which 

 was caught in a garden in the town. 



Chalcococcyx basalis. — Have not seen the bird, but took the egg 

 from the nest of a red-capped robin ; see above. 



