The Victorian naturalist . themon our first day was indeed a goodsign, because they had been very rarein 1963. As we climbed the next dune wenoticed some Oondooroo in flower butas yet, fruitless. On the top of thisdune, Slender Hop-bush formed athicket intermingled with Grey Mulgain heavy bud. Wattle-birds called fromthe cypresses, and the thickets werealive with the cheerful twitter ofwrens. Some canine tracks, probablyfox, cut across our path. The cyp-resses in this area were regeneratingwell and seedlings were even appear-ing on the tracks. We were on the lookout for aspecimen of Erect Rice
The Victorian naturalist . themon our first day was indeed a goodsign, because they had been very rarein 1963. As we climbed the next dune wenoticed some Oondooroo in flower butas yet, fruitless. On the top of thisdune, Slender Hop-bush formed athicket intermingled with Grey Mulgain heavy bud. Wattle-birds called fromthe cypresses, and the thickets werealive with the cheerful twitter ofwrens. Some canine tracks, probablyfox, cut across our path. The cyp-resses in this area were regeneratingwell and seedlings were even appear-ing on the tracks. We were on the lookout for aspecimen of Erect Rice-flower (Pime-lea stricta) (which is shown in 80, 8: p. 253), and found itquite easily. The Porcupine Grassclumps had grown much larger now,and although the Rice-flower wasstraggling along the top of the grass,it was in good condition. It too waslate with its flowering this Mallee in the background werereally trees now. In the distance aHorsfield Bronze Cuckoo called froma tall cypress. October, 1968 281. In the next Black Box area weglimpsed a Rufous Whistler and someYellow-tailed Thornbills. We ought tohave been within sight of WongaLake by now, but as happened lasttime, we were unable to find it. Justbefore turning back we saw ten kan-garoos and a pair of Pardalotes in apatch of Flexile Hakea which was al-most in bloom. Two tiny brown birdswere making a nest in a hole at the endof a broken, horizontal branch, andwere examined closely, but we couldnot identify them. However the Red-capped Robin which landed a fewyards in front of us on the track waseasily identified, and nearby were acouple of plants of Holly Grevillea,one of which was very yellowed in-deed. Halfway back to Black Flat wefound the origin of the sweet scent wehad noticed on the way out—a GoldenWattle in full flower. At Black Flat signpost we sawFairy Martins, and listened to a Ru-fous Whistlers evening song. As wedrove off, kangaroos which had com-menced to browse raised their headsto watch
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdec, booksubjectnaturalhistory, bookyear1884
