Vol. VII. 

 190S 



1 Cornwall, Birds Found Breeding near Mackay, N .Q. 173 



fresh egg. On the following day, 2nd July, one addled egg 

 was found in a uest on Common Island. On 3rd August a 

 nest beautifully lined and ready for eggs was found in a dead 

 tree near the mouth of the Louisa Creek, but a subsequent visit 

 on 31st August found the nest deserted. I afterwards learnt 

 that some thoughtle.ss person had not only robbed the nest, but 

 had shot the parent birds. 



It would be hard to persuade the sheep-farmer of the western 

 country that the Crow {Corvus coronoides) is a blessing to man, 

 but in the coastal districts of Queensland they should certainly 

 be afforded all the protection possible. They devour enormous 

 numbers of cane grubs and beetles, and often may be observed 

 amongst the selectors' cattle, climbing over them in their search 

 for that scourge of the north — the cattle tick. Crows' nests are 

 conspicuous objects in the landscape, and may be noted in any 

 part of the district where the timber is tall enough to afford 

 them security. On 6th November a nest was examined which 

 contained a full clutch of six fresh eggs, and during the whole 

 of that month, also December and January, many pairs were seen 

 either sitting on eggs or feeding their brood. A peculiar 

 nesting site was chosen by a pair of Crows on Temple Island ; 

 it was discovered on 17th November, and was placed in the 

 head of a Pandanus tree only 8 or 10 feet from the ground. 

 The bird was reluctant to leave the nest, which was found to 

 contain four fresh eggs. 



The mournful cry of the Pied Crow-Shrike {Strepera gracii- 

 lina) may be heard on many of the larger islands off the coast, 

 but so far I have not met the bird on the mainland. On 9th 

 November we found them nesting on L Island, but in each case 

 the nest was placed far out on thin horizontal branches of pine 

 trees overhanging a very high cliff. On 20th November a nest 

 was secured which contained three fresh eggs. 



One of the most familiar birds about the town is the Fig-Bird 

 {Sphccotlures maxillaris). Many pairs build their nests every 

 season in the fine trees which adorn the streets of Mackay, and 

 one may often see them sitting quietly on their eggs just a few 

 feet above the traffic of the busiest part of the town. Two or 

 three is the usual number of eggs to a clutch, but the unusual 

 number of four eggs was noted by Mr. T. P. Austin on 13th 

 November last. This season has been a very favourable one, 

 and during the latter part of December and the early part of 

 January Fig-Birds were observed busily attending to matters 

 pertaining to a second brood. 



The Drongo-Shrike {Chibia bracteatd) is a migratory species 

 with us, though odd individuals may be noted in the district at 

 all times of the year. They arrive in considerable numbers 

 about the middle of October, and my first record of a nest last 

 season was on 9th November. The nest was then nearly 



