enabled to do a little more scouting, and the results were more interesting still. Not only did I encounter further pairs of Amytornis, but in following an individual of the latter species I flushed a tiny bird from a clump of spinifex almost at my feet. After a lot of persuasion the feathered mite showed itself. It was a veritable Emu-Wren, the blue throat of a fine male being conspicuously visible. Another bird which for a time puzzled me by its notes was a Ptilotis. I knew it could not be P. ornata, and, though it looked like P. plumula, I was very doubtful of its identity, when I considered the locality and surroundings I was in. However, the teams started again, and I had to postpone further investigations; but I mentally determined to visit this land of promise in the near future. Our camp that night was at the Bore Well. We were now within 30 miles of our destination. Between Bore Well and Wiluna the mulga, jamwood, gidgi (Acacia), casuarina, beef-wood, and other trees attained a size I had never experienced before. Herbage was abundant, and the various species of everlastings, which are so prominent on the Yalgoo and Murchison goldfields, were in great abundance. Bounding the spinifex plain at Bore Well are a series of low ranges, and away to the south-east one could easily discern the bold escarpments of Mt. Lawrence Wells, which lie some 20 miles south by west of Lake Way. We were rapidly reaching our destination, and on 30th June, towards the evening, I had my first glimpse of Wiluna, which was to be my headquarters for the ensuing four months.
The driver of our team kindly gave me some useful hints as to where to camp, and I was enabled to select a sheltered site within a convenient distance of a Government well. Conveying my baggage to the spot, I soon had my tent up, and before darkness had set in was comfortably settled for the time being.
Next morning, 1st July, I was up betimes and off to the lake. It may be as well to explain here that Lake Way in reality consists of two shallow depressions, separated from one another by a tract of low-lying ground six or seven miles in breadth and thickly covered with scrub. The northern depression is usually termed Lake Violet, and is so marked on some of the Government maps. But for all purposes there is only one lake, consisting of a series of lagoons, divided by a network of sand-banks and other slight elevations. Nearly all my work was done at the northern end, owing to the scarcity of fresh water near the southern portion, and also the want of practicable tracks to convey my gear to a suitable camping-ground.
Between Wiluna and Lake Violet lies the chief portion of the auriferous belt, consequently the country is much disturbed by mining operations and has been denuded of all timber of any commercial value. It so happens that the premier mine of the district is at the southern extremity of the auriferous belt, so
