Page:The Emu volume 9.djvu/240

 during the five days occupied with the journey of 140 miles from Nannine to Wiluna. Around Nannine the country has been quite denuded of all timber of any size to supply firewood for the local mines, and this was also the case around some smaller centres for the first 20 miles of our journey. Generally speaking, the country is very level; so much so that the isolated hill called Mount Yagahong is more conspicuous than its actual height seems to warrant. This hill lies some 25 miles slightly north of east of Nannine, and is plainly visible at the latter township. After passing Mount Yagahong the country is less disturbed, and for the most part is thickly covered with scrub, roughly described as mulga, though in reality there is a great variety of bushes and shrubs other than of the true mulga, but none growing into the height of trees. Everywhere were signs of the recent heavy rains. Clay-pans were brimming full, and all rock-holes or stony beds of creeks contained an abundant supply of fresh water. The sight of all this gave me the greatest satisfaction, for I regarded it as an infallible indication for a favourable breeding season. Nests and eggs were my chief quest, but my personal ambitions bade me keep a keen eye open for possible new species. At Gum Creek we crossed the line of the rabbit-proof fence, and here were growing as usual on the banks of the creek a few examples of the flooded gum (Eucalyptus rostrata), of no great size, but for all that interesting as an indication of more to come. The further inland we advanced the richer became the soil on the extensive flats, and the larger grew the various varieties of mulga, acacia, and many other species whose names I am unacquainted with. Sandal-wood of a dwarfed growth was not infrequent, also its congener, the quandong, both species being fully laden with nuts. Another gnarled and curious tree is locally called a gidgi, and, as it is not favoured by mine-owners for firewood, it escapes the general destruction and attains to quite a respectable size, but for all that is really more curious than ornamental. Some 20 miles east of Gum Creek we entered upon our first spinifex plain. Here the soil is a light ferruginous sand, and as we called a halt for an hour or so for lunch and baiting the horses, I did a bit of scouting. I had not entered very far into the spinifex before I encountered a pair of very interesting birds. I felt sure they were a species of Amytornis, and, as subsequent researches proved, they were the Striated Grass-Wren. I was destined to have a troublous time with this species later on, but not at that precise locality. For some 40 odd miles west of Wiluna the track crosses an area of nearly 12 miles in width entirely overgrown with spinifex, and only broken here and there with narrow belts of stunted timber, and extending north and south for a distance I was unable to ascertain. We here encountered a returning camel team. A halt being called, I was