Vol m* IV '] KINGHORN, Trip to Upper Colo 
135 
round of the traps in the morning showed them to be empty, but 
an interesting few hours were spent climbing the hillsides in 
search of specimens. Birds were in numbers individually and 
specifically, the woods resounding with their calls. Bell-Miners 
(Manorhina nielanophrys ), were apparently everywhere, though 
few were seen. Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen ) carolled and 
sang in turn, while some young ones in a nest near by were in¬ 
cessant in their cry for more food. Noisy Miners (Myzantha 
garrula ) and Grey-crowned Babblers (Pomatostomus tempor¬ 
alis ) vied with each other as to which could make more noise. 
Dollar Birds (Eurystomus orientalis) and Noisy Friar-birds 
(Philemon corniculatus ) joined in the chorus, while thousands 
of small birds lifted up their voices and sang to the rising sun, 
the sharp joe-joe of the Southern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria 
australis) being heard above all others. As we rounded a great 
rock on the side of a cliff our attention was attracted by the 
twitterings of many birds, which, as we soon discovered, came 
from the throats of a large flock of Rock-Warblers (Origma 
rubric ata ). 
After spending the whole of Saturday morning scouring the 
hills, we decided to push on the remaining five miles to our 
destination, the Colo River, so we climbed out of one gorge into 
another, and arrived at Upper Colo village or settlement at about 
three o’clock. Camp was pitched, and we immediately settled 
down to the first of our five days’ hard toil. Upper Colo sits 
snug on a thousand or so acres of undulating grass land, sur¬ 
rounded by precipitous mountains. To the north the river of 
crystal-clear water on a bed of white sand, runs east and west 
at the foot of a cliff, opens out a little opposite the settlement, 
and then disappears into a gorge about half a mile down stream. 
A large and deep swamp lies to the south-west, between some 
hills a few hundred yards from the river, another lies to the 
east, while a smaller one is situated immediately below the 
school. 
These swamps are surrounded by rushes, and they proved to 
be a harbour of refuge for Ducks, Shags and wading birds, while 
Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus australis) and Fantail Warblers 
(Cisticola exit is) could be seen in hundreds among the rushes. 
Our day’s work started at 5 a.m. ,* the early hours were spent 
collecting specimens, and the remainder of the daylight hours 
were devoted to preparing them for the collecting box; but much 
valuable time was lost through having to do our own cooking, 
and general camp duties, including attending to the wants of the 
horse. Sunday was a busy day, for, while Wright and Fletcher 
prepared specimens collected at Wheeny on Saturday morning, 
as well as those captured at the Colo during the evening, I did 
the cooking, and scoured the country in search of subjects for 
photographs and suitable collecting areas. 
