THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
bells of their horses, camels or bullocks, and cannot differentiate one from 
the other at a distance. The birds have distinct ventriloquial powers. Most 
of the nests contain a few hairy caterpillars. The birds have a harsh scolding 
note in addition to their song. Bell-Birds were numerous about Broome Hill, 
and the breeding-season is an extended one, commencing in July and continuing 
until January. The usual clutch of eggs is three, but four are not uncommon. 
The nests are similar to those of the mid-western subspecies, and I found 
one at a height of eight feet above the ground in the fork of a Jam tree. The 
female was sitting on two eggs. One nest was found four feet from the ground 
in the hollow top of the stump of a burnt Sheoak. The hollow' Avas open at the 
top, but the nest could only be seen from above, as it was surrounded by the 
dead timber. The male bird w r as sitting on three eggs, and there w r ere three 
hairy caterpillars with the eggs. Another nest w'as found built in a similar 
dead stump on another occasion, and several were found, at various dates, 
in the luxuriant growth of ‘ suckers 5 that spring up around the stump of a 
ring-barked gum tree, especially white gums. From three to five hairy 
caterpillars are found in almost every nest. July 30th, 1908: Nest 4 eggs 
(earliest date). Nov. 25th, 1908 : 2 fresh eggs (latest date). Nov. 18th, 
1910: 2 fresh eggs. Oct. 8th, 1910: Three incubated eggs. Aug. 29th, 
1912 : 3 eggs. Sept. 25th, 1912 : Two fresh eggs. Jan. 3rd, 1906: Young 
birds in nest.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers has written : “ This bird w'as seen at Golden Gate on 
the Ord River Road ; this is the furthest north I have seen it. It is very 
common at Tanami, Split Rock and Mount Stubbins, Rock Hole. Split Rock 
is 125 miles S.E. of Hall’s Creek. This towm is 255 miles S. of Wyndham. . . . 
Out in the desert from Mungi I heard these birds calling and found what 
appeared to be old nests of this species, but I saw none until the 4th of 
July, when I seemed a male and female. Several others v r ere heard, but it 
is difficult to locate these birds by the call, and the scrub was dense where 
I found the birds. I have only seen and heard this species on the desert 
country east of Mungi; none w r ere heard on the low country. Although 
Mr. Crossman gave the Bell-Birds as noted at Broome, and Mr. Hill at 
Drysdale River, N.W. Kimberley, this is the first time I have found them in 
W. Kimberley.” 
H. E. Hill wrote from Brookton, West Australia : “ Heard continually 
in the granite, but not often seen. Watched one bird singing for a while, and 
I noticed that as it sang it continually raised and lowered its crest.” 
Milligan, dealing with a trip to Yandanooka District, West Australia, 
Avrote : Tliis species was very common everywhere and I was fortunate in 
finding two nests containing eggs. . . . The occupant of each nest sat very 
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