Page:The Emu volume 3.djvu/56

 common species both on the coast and inland, being most numerous in winter, when their loud, cheerful song could be heard everywhere. Breeding season, June-September.

(39.) (Rufous Song-Lark).—Not quite so numerous as the preceding species, and not noted on the coast. Four eggs is the clutch; eggs were found from 1st June to 2nd August.

(40.) (Field-Wren, Nee-an-tee).—A common resident on the coast, but not noted any distance inland. It has a cheerful song, uttered from the topmost twig of low scrub, but the birds are shy, and disappear on the least alarm. They lay at any season after rain, the eggs (four to clutch) having been taken in various months.

Some South-Western Notes (Oct., 1902— Jan., 1903).

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On that portion of the Vasse River (W.A.) which is navigable for rowing boats above the town (a distance of about 1½ miles), six nests of Rhipidura tricolor (Black and White Fantail) were observed on 31st October, containing eggs or young birds. The nests were either on snags projecting out of the water, or in bushes overhanging the river.

Anas superciliosus (Black Duck) were abundant and tame, with broods of various-sized young. They would often allow a boat to row past without taking flight. These birds have increased very much since the reserve for native game was declared.

14th November.—A pair of Casarca tadornoides (Shieldrake) were on the river close to the town, with a brood of eight young in down.

There were a few pairs of Sisura inquieta (Restless Fly-catcher) about the river banks, which had evidently reared their young.

Anthus australis (Ground-Lark) had eggs, 10th November. '

Zosterops gouldi (Green-backed White-eye), 22nd November, three fresh eggs.

Acanthiza chrysorrhoa (Yellow-rumped Tit).—Fresh eggs up to 4th December, and Rhipidura tricolor 9th December.

Ptilotis sonora (Singing Honey-eater), 11th December; Pardalotus striatus (Red-tipped Pardalote) was noted feeding young in nest same day

16th December.—A pair of Melithreptus chloropsis (Western White-naped Honey-eater) was feeding a fledged Pallid Cuckoo, and a short distance away a pair of Ptilotis sonora was similarly engaged. Mr. A. J. Campbell's list of birds acting as hosts for the Pallid Cuckoo does not include the former bird.

A gentleman who takes an interest in bird life having asked me to identify a bird that occurred in the open flats to the east of Vasse, near the Darling Range, we rode out one day, and