Page:The Emu volume 9.djvu/250

 (Ninox ocellata).—I shot a single example of this species near Wiluna, chiefly for identification. At Milly Pool I could hear them calling, and I saw one enter a large cavity in a hollow eucalypt. After a lot of trouble, I gained access to the hole, only to find it was a roosting-place.

(Cacatua gymnopis).—I saw little of this familiar cage-bird until I went to Milly Pool. Here they were fairly common, and breeding in the hollow eucalypts. I located several nests, but, being unprovided with a rope-ladder (not anticipating such large timber), I was quite helpless until some Cockatoo-hunters came out from Wiluna. All my nests contained well-feathered young, which were obtained by hauling the lightest of the party in a boatswain's chair up to the limb containing the brood.

(Cacatua leadbeateri).—Rare; a few breeding to the east of Wiluna.

or (Cacatua roscicapilla).—These noisy birds were breeding too in the eucalypts, but not in anything like the numbers of C. gymnopis. I also saw them in flocks near Bore Well. One pair had a nest in the same tree from which I took the first-mentioned nest of Cerchneis cenchroides. This tree contained two other nests in addition—viz., a nest of the North Parrakeet (Barnardius occidentalis), and one of the Yellow-throated Miner (Myzantha flavigula).

(Calopsittacus novæ-hollandiæ).—Flocks seen at Bore Well, and the species became common at Milly Pool when the hot weather set in. I think this and the preceding species may have bred during the summer rains.

(Spathopterus alexandræ).—This was a species I hoped to meet with in the district, but unfortunately I did not get on its track until the breeding season was over. Some time ago there appeared in The Western Mail (one of our illustrated weeklies) a photograph of an individual of this Parrakeet living in captivity at Perth. I know this bird came from the East Murchison or Mt. Margaret goldfields. What information I gleaned around Wiluna concerning this Parrakeet I owe to my friends the Cockatoo-hunters. Out east and north-east of the township are vast areas of spinifex, and it is on their margins the Alexandra Parrakeet is met with. Three young were taken from a hollow eucalypt in the early part of October of the present year (1909). I saw two of these. They were rather more than half-feathered, and had the beak coloured pink or carmine. The beautiful soft tones of green and pink on the breast, flanks, and tail were only just showing. The legs and feet were deep pink. The adult birds were described to me as appearing very slender when perched in the timber, and were stated to have a habit of sitting longitudinally on the branch. In this position they were very difficult to detect if motionless. The two young birds appeared to bear captivity very well, being full of life and activity. I rather coveted one, but most exaggerated ideas of their monetary value were prevalent. The local name for this species is "Spinifex Parrakeet."

(Barnardius occidentalis, North).—I saw nothing of this species, with the exception of a solitary old female, which I shot, in the intervening tract of country between Lake Violet and the main Lake Way, until I reached Milly Pool. Here it was common, and breeding in the hollow eucalypts. With the aid of ropes brought out by the Cockatoo-hunters, I got several nests, but only one clutch of six eggs. These were in a filthy state, and had to be cleaned with hot soapy water. The eggs were fresh, but two of them were claw-marked. This was on 27th September, and must have been rather a late laying. I seldom have the luck to get a perfect clutch of Parrots' eggs —one or other is sure to be cracked or to have a small hole pierced in the shell.

(Psephotus multicolor), locally "Mulga Parrot."—This was the most generally distributed of the Parrot family