NOTES FROM POINT CLOATES, N.W. AUSTRALIA. 417 



species, which shows how carefully one should work in new 

 country. It is of very sprightly, inquisitive habits, constantly 

 uttering its pleasant liquid warbling note from earliest dawn 

 until dark. It has a harsh alarm-note, and is quick to sound it 

 on the approach of a dog, hawk, or biped, and all within hearing 

 will hurry up to help the first bird to scold. 



The second week in July I paid a visit to the nearest gum 

 creek that contains good pools of water, in search of nests (the 

 eggs being then undescribed), and was fortunate in finding five — 

 three with a clutch each of two eggs, one with two newly hatched 

 young, and one ready for laying. The nests were of light 

 construction, of fibrous roots and grass, mixed and lined with 

 vegetable down and sheeps' wool, and suspended about three feet 

 from the ground, either in the dense prickly acacia bushes, or sort 

 of large salt bush that grows round water holes there. In the rushes 

 surrounding these pools were nests containing eggs of the Black- 

 tailed Tribonyx (Microtribonyx ventralis). 



About February 14th, last year, some flocks of White-fronted 

 Chats {Ephthianura albifrons) arrived here, but only stayed a 

 few days. It is the first time they have come under my notice. 

 Keartland's Honey-eater {Ptilotis keartlandi) was fairly common 

 on the high country behind the range, but I found no nests. I 

 may mention that a skin of this bird was sent by me from here to 

 Melbourne in 1890 for identification ; but it was not until 1895 

 that Mr. Keartland secured specimens, when it was recognized 

 by Mr. North as a new species. 



On July 28th one of my men went to Frazer Island in the boat, 

 and returned with more than two hundred eggs, all fresh, of the 

 Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius). They were a welcome 

 addition to our meals for some days. The nests are built in 

 thick, spreading bushes, with large, soft, greenish grey leaves, that 

 grow only on the edge of the sea. 



In August, White-eyed Crows (Corvus australis), Kestrels (Tin- 

 nunculus cenchro'ides), Brown and Rufous Larks (Cinclorhamphus 

 cruralis and rufescens), Tri-coloured Chats (Ephthianura tricolor), 

 Brown Hawks (Hieracidea occidentalis), Pipits (Anthus australis), 

 Singing Honey-eaters (Ptilotis sonora) t and Grass Parrakeets 

 (Melopsittacus undulatus) were breeding numerously. I visited 

 a new nest of Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) , but it contained 



