Vo1 192 * 5 IV * ] BARNARD, Birds of Coomooboolaroo 
265 
Banded Finch ( Steganopleura bichenovii). — Very plentiful at 
times, nesting in orange trees in the garden. 
Chestnut-breasted Finch ( Donacola castaneothorax) .—Was very 
plentiful years ago, nesting in the long grass. 
Plum-headed Finch ( Aidemosyne modesta) .—Appear in large num¬ 
bers wherever the season is good enough to produce a crop of long 
grass, when they nest in the big tussocks of grass and the low bushes. 
Red-browed Firetail (Aegintha temporalis). — Fairly common in 
scrubby places. 
Black-throated Finch (Peophila cincta) .—Fairly common in forest 
country. 
Green-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) . — Common in scrubby 
country. 
Spangled Drongo (Chibia bractcata). — Generally in evidence in 
summer, but chiefly noticed when on migration. 
Apostle-bird ( Struthidea cinerca) .— About the year 1882, my 
brother, H. G. Barnard, and I made a pack-horse trip to Fairfield, a 
station about seventy miles to the south, and there we made our first 
acquaintance with this bird and procured a set of eggs. A year or 
two afterwards a family appeared on this station, and eggs were 
taken. From that time they have increased until they have become 
one of the commonest birds in the district, and every station has its 
“happy family” of from a dozen to fifty birds; which often come to 
the door to be fed on bread-crumbs, etc., and will frequently take food 
from a person’s hand. They have crossed the Dawson River and are 
common as far east as Edungalba, but do not yet appear to have 
crossed the Gogango Ranges. 
Spotted Bower-bird ( Chlamydera maculata) .—Is not very notice¬ 
able, keeping as it does to the scrubby parts, but whenever any small 
fruits begin to ripen in the garden, it puts in an appearance. 
Regent Bower-bird ( Scricidus chrysocephalus) .—A male bird was 
seen in the garden during the 1002 drought, and a dead female was 
picked up abouc the same time. They have never been seen on any 
other occasion. , 
Australian Raven ( Corvus coronoides). —Occurs here. 
Australian Crow (Corvus cecilae). — Plentiful everywhere, and 
much blamed for spreading prickly pear over the country. On one 
occasion I climbed a gum tree for a crow’s nest, using the tomahawk 
to cut steps. To my surprise, the bird did not fly off when I got close 
up to the nest, and when just under the nest, I quietly put my hand up 
and caught the old bird firmly across the back. I lifted her off care¬ 
fully, and there were five eggs in the nest nearly fresh; had they been 
just hatching, it would have been easier to understand why the bird 
sat so closely. 
Little Crow ( Corvus bennetti). —Also occurs here. 
White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphus) .— Always com¬ 
mon, and does not appear to have altered in numbers. It breeds here 
and usually lays from 5 to 7 eggs. 
Pied Boll-Magpie (Strepera graculina) .—Formerly very common 
and used to breed in the ranges. It is not now so common, but is still 
present in the ranges. 
Pied Butcher-bird (Cracticus nigrogularis) .—Very common 
Grey Butcher-bird (Cracticus torquatus ).—Appears to have be¬ 
come more numerous than formerly. At one time they were never 
seen or heard very close to the house, but now they are frequntly 
about the garden, and the younger birds come oh to the verandah. 
Occasionally they take to feeding on chickens, and have to be shot. 
Black-backed Magpie (Gyinnorhma tibicen). —Very common. They 
were greatly reduced in numbers by the drought of 1902, but appear 
to have quite got back to their former numbers now. Towards the 
end of the drought Magpies were often seen on the ground too weak 
to fly. 
