TRICOLOURED CHAT. 
With regard to the Tricoloured Chat Mr. Tom Carter has written me : 
“ My experience is that, though it is recorded in your ‘ Reference List 5 as 
occurring generally through West Australia, it is confined to the northern 
parts, out of which it was never observed by me. It occurred in the North 
West Cape district in great numbers in some years, being one of the commonest 
birds, notably in 1898, which was a hurricane year. They were also numerous 
about Point Cloates and the Gascoyne districts in September 1913, when a 
bad drought generally prevailed, but local rains had fallen along the coastal 
areas, hence probably the appearance of the birds there. Although this 
beautiful species is usually associated with arid inland districts, the birds 
seem to be great drinkers when water is procurable. At Point Cloates, when 
the birds were present, they were drinking all day at the troughs for watering 
stock, and many w r ere drowned by falling into the water. They were observed 
doing this both at Minilya and Point Cloates during my visit there in September 
1913. The breeding-season is any time after rains have fallen. The nests 
are made almost entirely of fine grass and are built in the tops of low bushes, 
two to three feet from the ground, and frequently in large bunches of spinifex 
( Triodia or Porcupine Grass). Three eggs is the usual clutch, but four are not 
infrequently laid. These birds seem to be rather favourite hosts of Chalcococcyx 
basalis. July 14, 1891 : Nest with four eggs. March 6, 1898 : Three eggs and 
one of C. basalis. July 16, 1898, July 13, 1899 : Three eggs, latter in bunch of 
large spinifex. Aug. 24, 1913 : Two eggs incubated, male bird sitting on them. 
Also a nest noted containing small young. Sept. 16, 1913 : Four eggs incubated.” 
Hall printed Rogers’ notes made at Derby, North-west Australia, and 
included : “ On 10th February, 1900, I saw my first pair, the following day 
a half-dozen pairs. Possibly they are arriving at an end of their migration. 
They were feeding with Chestnut-eared Finches, but on black beetles and 
not on seeds, as were the Finches.” 
Later Mr. Rogers studied the birds of the north-west on my account and 
sent me many valuable items, and I herewith add them as written. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers’ extensive notes read : “ Mch. 19, 1911 : For the first 
time since I started collecting for you at Derby I saw these birds ; a large 
flock were in a patch of timber. Mch. 20 : Several flocks passed the camp 
to-day and in the evening several parties were feeding on the edge of the plain. 
Mch. 23 : None seen since 20th. Mch. 27 : Several small flocks seen to-day. 
April 1 : Hundreds seen to-day were feeding near the timber on the narrow 
plain. April 8 : Are the commonest bird here now ; are in small flocks every- 
where. April 13 : Very numerous at present. April 22 : Still numerous. 
These birds are only in this district occasionally and when they do come are 
found in immense numbers ; unfortunately I have no previous record of the 
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