RED-BACKED KINGFISHER. 
also centipedes, beetles, etc. This species was also noted nesting in cavities 
in the sides of shell-shafts, before being timbered.” 
Whitlock recorded {EmUy Vol. VIII., p. 189, 1909) : “ Not uncommon 
throughout the district (Pilbarra Goldfield). I obtained eggs on the upper 
Coongan. On the de Grey the blacks had dug out a young brood, wliich 
they were taking home to be cooked and eaten. The tunnel to the nests 
I dug out was not more than a foot long, but the nesting-chamber 
was very roomy. The tunnel sloped upwards, unlike those of the Bee- 
eater and Red-lored Pardalote.” 
Berney noted {Emu, Vol. VI., p. 44, 1906) : “ Red-backed Kingfisher. 
I do not know whether I have been overlooking this Kingfisher, but up 
to January last year I did not recognise it : from thence to March this 
year it was plentiful enough. It could be seen and heard constantly, not 
only in the timbered country, but out on the downs, where it seemed very 
partial to the vicinity of homsteads. This winter it has quite disappeared. 
The species is of considerable value as a grasshopper-destroyer.” 
MacgilHvray added {Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 160, 1914) : “ Found both at 
Cloncurry and at Sedan. At the latter place the following note was 
made, 21st February, 1910 : ‘ Found Red-backed Kingfisher’s nest with 
three eggs, and another containing five young birds. The latter looked 
like little porcupines, all the feathers being encased in sheaths. Body 
feathers about half inch long, primaries 2 inches, rectrices 1| inches. I 
got one of them out and was going to kill it for a skin, but it commenced 
to bite my thumb and try to swallow it, and it looked so fearless that 
I had to put it back in the nest.’ They were common also on the 
Leichardt River.” 
Rogers’ notes recorded by Hall {Emu, Vol. II., p. 49, 1902), read : “ I 
found the beginning of a nest (1/11/00 on the Fitzroy River, North-west 
Australia) with the tunnel in an ant heap 4 inches. On the 4th the 
tunnel extended 12 inches inward. On the 7th I dug it out, and foimd 
four eggs. The bird stayed in the w^hole time, and scarcely moved a 
muscle when taken from the eggs. I put her quietly down. This was 
owing to the great heat (120° F. in the shade). The chamber was 6 X 6 7 
inches.” 
Rogers later on wrote to me from Wyndham, North-west Australia : 
“ December 17, 1908. Nest found to-day contained one fully fledged young, 
while two others and female parent were in a tree near by. The nest 
tunnel was drilled twelve inches into a white ants’ nest which filled the 
hollow stump of a large tree. Nest-chamber 5x3 wide and 3 inches 
high, roughly constructed. There were a great many lizard bones in the 
VOL. vn. 
177 
