aborigines’ water-quest. 
653 
stricken bushman to death, should he follow them up too long. Their 
tracks have often been seen several days’ journey away from any 
known water, in well-known country. 
In very dry seasons the dingo will travel long distances 
over many miles to water. For example, they have been known to 
travel from the interior country down to the “ Great Bight ” (West. 
So. Aust.), where, on the sea-coast, they will scratch the sand with their 
feet, and so dig down to water. They do the same thing in the creeks 
in the interior. 
BIRDS. 
As thoroughly reliable guides to waters in very dry regions there 
is no rival to the birds, some of which might be named “ Water 
Tinders.” 
The Diamond Birds — known variously as “ Diamond Sparrow,” 
“Zebra Finch,” “Chestnut-eared Finch” (. Amadina casta notes), 
“Spotted Pardalote” ( Pardalotus punctatus) — are of birds, par 
excellence , the “Water Finders” of the dry regions of Australia. 
Stuart (explorer) says: — “And at eight miles [on the Hugh] 
our eyes and ears were delighted with the sight and sound of numerous 
diamond birds, a sure sign of the proximity of water.” All the fore- 
most explorers are agreed as to this sign. The presence of flocks of 
zebra finches is one infallible indication in the dry country of the 
nearness of water. Little or much, hundreds of gallons or a teacupful, 
water is there; for water these pretty little twitterers must have, 
and they must have it often. Any apparent exceptions are probably 
due either to the oversight or hurry of the traveller rather than to 
any fallibility as to the bird as an indicator of water. 
So docile are these little fellows (diamond birds) that they will 
sit upon the bare skin of an aboriginal whilst he bends to his work 
digging out a hole in the sand with his wooden scoop for water, 
and they seem to be in no way disconcerted when he throws the sand 
over his shoulder, where they are perched, as he works. Nor does the 
native resent the presence or familiarity of his sauey little feathered 
companion. He wants water, and they wait to drink with him. 
After travelling through miles of the silent bush, should the 
traveller come upon a small flock of these birds, he may know T infallibly 
that a supply of w r ater is near by ; and alert, intelligent watching will 
soon enable him to find it. The bird nests in root-holes, in the banks 
of creeks, and w r aterholes, and is abundant wherever water is available. 
The Pigeon. — Next to the above, in its Australian varieties the 
pigeon ranks high as a “ Water Finder.” 
r lhe “Crested Dove,” “ Wire- Wing Dove” or top-knot pigeon 
{Ocyphaps Lophotes ), the “Bronze-Wing Pigeon” {Per is ter a Ghal- 
coptera ), “Flock Pigeon,” “Rock Pigeon” ( Petrophason , Gould), all 
come under this section. The pigeon is found all over Australia, and 
is always within reach of water. It feeds on grains and seeds. It 
flies out over the plains to feed in the day-time, and flies in again to 
the water at sundown. At this time of the day they may be seen, in 
parts, in countless flocks gathering in to the waters. They fly very 
swiftly towards water, and the pigeon usually alights some ten yards 
aw-ay. It w r aits awhile, and then walks quietly to the water and 
drinks. It drinks very copiously, so much so that often it is a trouble 
to it to rise from the ground. Flight away from water is heavy and 
