Notes on a Collection of Birds from North-West Australia.
By Robert Hall, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., and John P. Rogers.
These observations were made upon and adjacent to the little-known country about the Townsend, Kightly, Stewart, and Robinson Rivers and the Obogama district.
About each of the localities named Mr. Rogers spent a brief time, and many interesting notes are consequent upon his labours. In nearly every reference to habits skins have been carefully collected and preserved.
In the first letter from Obogama, dated 7/6/02, Mr. Rogers wrote:—"You will observe I have reached the promised land, finding it a good place for birds, and quite up to expectation. I am now 12 days out from Derby, of which nearly the whole time was spent in travelling. The first camp is known as the Big Spring, on the Obogama road, and about 63 miles from Derby. There I secured what I believe to be the following species:—Shining Flycatcher, male and female; Northern Fantail, male; Blue Flycatcher, male; and young with adults of Myiagra latirostris. This spring is approximately 1 mile in circumference, with a very dense growth of vegetation. It contained a large number of species, but, owing to want of horse feed, I had to move off. The second camp was 8 miles up the Townsend, which yielded the Brown Quail. The third camp was further continued, where I secured a Spotted Harrier, Smutty Parrakeet, Partridge Bronze-wing Pigeon, and a Little Shrike-Thrush. The fourth camp, distant 7 miles, brought me into rough, hilly country, where the traces of natives were fresh and numerous. Being alone, I moved along almost at once. Here I secured a small Heron (sp.?), a Jacana in the lily leaves in a large waterhole, and a Silvery-crowned Friar-Bird."
"Along the shores of King Sound there is a fringe of mangroves several miles wide, probably four. Travelling is very tiresome, mosquitoes exceedingly numerous, and the mangrove roots difficult to pass, one mile an hour being a good result."
Mr. Rogers communicates to me the information that Mr.. Felix Meyer, one of the oldest residents, considers he (Mr. Rogers) is the first collector to visit the Obogama country. Mr. Meyer, once manager of the Meda station, adjoining Obogama, met Mr. Bowyer-Boyer, who collected on the Fitzroy River, as far up as Mt. Anderson, 60 miles from Derby, where he remained camped for some weeks. There was a gentleman, by name Frogget, who travelled so far out, and another whose name is forgotten. If Mr. Alex. Forrest had a collector with him in his exploration trip into West Kimberley, he must have been near Obogama. Dr. House has not travelled through the
