?JF.<!TS A\'r> r.GGS OF AV.'STKATJAN BINDS. 



\77 



were building near liis camp. However, when examining the trees 

 througli our field-glasses, we found nothing but bunches of dry leaves 

 swinging about in tlie wind. A few days afterwards we noticed a 

 neighbouring fig-tree in a similar condition, and a.s lx)th trees were 

 lesorlod to bv these birds, I was under the impression that it was 

 caused bv the ravages of some insects which the birds came to feed on ; 

 however, about a month afterwards, Mr. Johnstone infonned me that 

 the.se trees had been taken possession of by colonies of Weaver Birds 

 (or " Starlings " a« they are called in those parts), and this bulk of 

 brown nests was foiTning quite a new feature in the landscape." 



Dining mv excursion to Northern Qucen.sland, Shining Starlings 

 in flocks of about a score were seen flviiig swiftly over the tall tree- 

 tops uttering sharp notes like Lorikeets. We shot several, the skins of 

 which made conspicuous additions to our collection. We observed 

 large trees — generally Morcton Bav asli — \\\) the rivers, and in the 

 vicinity of Dalrvmple's Gap, crowded with their hanging homes. At 

 the time of our visit (August) the birds appeared to be reconstnicting 

 their nests, if not brecchng. Were we sure the laying season h:id 

 commenced we would have almost been tempted to fall one of the tall 

 trees in the hope that amidst the crash and ruin some of the eggs 

 might liave been saved. 



According to Mr. Broadbent's observations the Calomis breeds 

 during the months of August and Scptcinber. 



Mr. Dudley Le Souef, during October, ISO.*?, found these birds 

 plentiful in the Bloomficld district, working hard reconstructing 

 their nests. Many nests, he observed, get blown down, wliile the eggs 

 are occasionally upset and foimd broken undcnicath. The birds are 

 veiy noisy, and it is an easy matter to tell when one is in the neighbour- 

 hood of their nests. The birds fly about in flocks, even when gathering 

 material oflF the palm-trees for building. The trees in which they nest 

 are, as a rule, difficult to climb, and, curiously enough, frequently 

 contained the nest of the Red-backed or White-headed Sea Eagle 

 ( Hnliii>:fur girreiiern ) situated near the top of the tree. 



Mr. Le Souef proceeds to say : — " Tlie gi-ound under them (the 

 nesting trees) is generally covered with dead seeds of various fruits, 

 excreta, li-c., and also infested \vith very small red scrub ticks, which 

 come up one's legs in hundreds, and soon make their presence felt by 

 buiTowing into the skin and raising an irritating lump, yet they are 

 so small that they are often difficult to detect. Wlicn I was taking a 

 photogi-aph under a large tree my black companions carefully watched 

 me from a distance, not wisliing to suffer the inconvenience I aftei-wards 

 did from these insects." 



At Cape York, on the 27th and 28th November, 1896, Mr. H. 

 Barnard took thii-ty-nine clutches of this Starling's eggs, and on the 28th 

 December, eight sets more. The complement of eggs was two to three, 

 both numbers being about equal.* In one tree which Mr. Barnard 

 ascended he counted no less than 296 nests. The noise created by the 

 birds wa-s almost deafening. 



' Mr. E. Cornwall informs me that once on Punk Island betook five eggs 

 from the nest of a Calornis. Possibly it was a combination clutch. 



