A'ES/S A.\'D EGGS OF AUSTKAUAN BIRDS. ~\ 



tolerably plentiful on some isolated islands up the coast, we resolved to 

 enlist our friend, Mr. Walsh, sub-collector of Customs, into our ser\'ices. 

 We had no sooner made known our errand than ho replied a trip could bo 

 (.apitally aiTanged, because ho had officially to visit that part of the coast, 

 and could go with us in the pilot cutter. It was a delightfid morning as 

 wo left tlu' camp behind and briskly ' pegged out ' for town, wlare we 

 ari'ived at half-past eight o'clock. The tide was unfavourable, and we did 

 not get aboard till two hours later. Leaving jjort we had a fair wind, 

 but wheu wo got outside the bold land of Hinchinbrook Island the weather 

 was rather dirty, with a strong south-cast wind. We soon reached the 

 Family Islands, a gi-oup of five, with slopes more or less grassed to the 

 water's edge, where the blue sparkling water, gi-ey rock, and green sward 

 formed agreeable contrasts. Dunk Island was passed on the weather 

 side, then King's Reef, which nms between Clump Point on the mainland 

 and the two South Barnard Islands. 



After a fair run of thirty-five miles we made the North Barnard, a gi ou]) 

 of five islets lying at various distances up to two-and-a-half miles from the 

 mainland, and dropped anchor at about half-past four o'clock to the leeward 

 of the largest and outennost island. Hero oiu- little craft strained at her 

 anchor, pitching and tossing all night, much to the discomfort of invalided 

 passengers. At siuirise ne.\t morning our skipper pronounced the .surf too 

 great to enable the dinghy to land us with siifcty. This news was a great 

 disappointment to us, especially as we were only a few cables' length from 

 our much-coveted goal, so wo decided to run for Mourilvan Harboui', on 

 the mainland, distant about five miles, to wait vintil the weather moderated. 



'' Next morning at daybreak it looked calm outside, so with a gentle 

 land breeze we quietly slipped out, and before breakfast were once again 

 riding at anchor off the outer Barnard. The island rises out of the Coral 

 Sea to an elevation of about three hundred feet. It is half-a-mile long by 

 a quarter broad, and enshrouded in luxuriant vegetation. Trees great and 

 small show above the prevailing dense scrub. Although we appeared to 

 be close in shore, it was a long row in the dinghv. A ctirling wave shot us 

 on to the coral strand, which was bordered at high-water mark with large, 

 strongly-perfumed white lilies (Crinum asiaticum), gi-owing from broad 

 flag-Uke leaves. A beautifvd convolvulus ffpomreri) of blue and piu-plc 

 festooned the nearer bushes. Up the face of the island large, noble, and 

 beautiful trees, the botanical name of which we had not learnt, met our 

 gaze, contrasted with figs (Ficus magnifulia), Pongainia glabra, bearing 

 large seed pods, and Ixora iimorensis in flower, interlaced with small 

 species of lawyer palm, and overgrown with innumerable creepers, pothos, 

 and other chmbers. I clambered up the face of a rough, rocky suiiace, 

 with loose dark movdd, sustaining crops of bird-nest ferns among vines and 

 supplejacks ; pi-ogi-ess was rendered not only slow but difficult. When 

 about half-way towards the summit of the island, I moved across the face 

 and dipped into one of the numerous gullies or hollows which ran down to 

 the sea. Here, with a fair outlook up and down hill, I waited the turn 

 of events. Presently in the thicket I heard ' scrape.' My breechloader 

 brought down through au entanglement of vegetation my first Rifle Bird — 

 a female. After remaining in ambush some time I seciucd another female. 



