THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
building material, and dissection of specimens confirmed this opinion. 
Although he spent many hours on several occasions in searching for the nest 
he did not succeed in finding it. They were very numerous in some places 
on plains or grassy flats. Stomach contents, grasshoppers and beetles, seeds.” 
Barnard wrote from Borroloola, Northern Territory: “ A very common 
bird on the table-land, and fairly common on the black-soil flats on the 
McArthm-.” (Obviously these would not be secunda, wliich is a pale bird, 
nor riifescens, which is red, but no further accomit is given of them.) Then 
from Brunette Downs were later recorded by Barnard as “ Mirajra rufescens. 
Very common on the plains. A number of nests were fomid, both mth eggs 
and young.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers’ notes from North-west Australia read: “ The Bush 
Lark only sings after the first rains have fallen and continues to sing right 
through the wet season. They seem to sing all night. Sept. 29. Not begun 
to sing yet. Oct. 15. Are becoming more animated ; they are flying round 
and rising in the air in the same maimer as a Skylark, but their song is still 
broken and subdued. Oct. 30. Are singing well this morning, there was 
I inch of rain yesterday. Nov. 7. Not singing as well as on Oct. 30. Nov. 29. 
Flying high and singing weU and through till Jan. 26 still singing well; heard 
them singing on various nights from 8 to 10 p.m., sometimes on moonlight 
nights and sometimes on very dark nights. Never seen singing while perched 
or on the ground, only when flying or hovering. Point Torment. March 23, 
1911. These birds were very numerous about one month ago, then a dry 
spell set in and all the surface water dried up and now they are very rare. 
These birds drink regularly in hot weather and are usually fomid near water. 
At Mamgle Creek this was a rare species. I saw a few on the edges of the 
plains. At Mungi this bkd was very rare. At Mamgle Creek the soil where 
I got these birds was red and at Mmigi it was a very red sand, and the birds 
were very rufous. Those sent you from Derby, Point Torment and Meda 
river were all from soil that did not vary much, and the Mamgle Creek soil 
in colour is about halfway between Meda soil and that of Mmigi. The 
Roebuck down and Jegurra creek skins w'^ere also from red soil but not nearly 
so bright in colouring as that of Mungi. Tliis is a very common siiecies on the 
plahis of Kimberley, particularly in the vicinity of water. This bird breeds 
during the wet season, i.e. from December to March, and the nesting seems 
to depend on the rain; no rain, no nests, or veiy few. The yomig of this 
species leave the nest before they can fly, the legs are well developed 
and the yomig ones can rmi well, while the wings are only slightly 
developed when they leave the nest. All the nests I found had a hood of 
grass built over them.” 
150 
