174 Cornwall, Birds Found Breeding near Mackay, N.Q. [j^t April 



completed, but it was two weeks later before the full complement 

 of four eggs was laid. On the 23rd November they were noted 

 nesting freely everywhere, and continued on to the middle of 

 January. Four eggs generally constitute the full clutch, but 

 I have in my cabinet a beautifully marked set of five, taken as 

 late as 6th January. Towards the end of January the Drongos 

 appear to be making a move northward once more, and by the 

 middle of February very few are to be seen. 



It would be hard to find a locality better suited to the economy 

 of the Magpie-Lark {Grallina picata) than the district of Mackay. 

 Extensive swamps teem with insect life, and their muddy 

 margins afford abundance of the building material which the 

 Grallina needs. The breeding season extends over many 

 months. Eggs have been noted in August and during the 

 second week in March, a pair was seen busily feeding a nest- 

 ful of young. On 29th December my friend, Mr. H. Neilson, 

 who is a very keen observer, found the unusual number of five 

 eggs in a Magpie- Lark's nest.* 



To see the Rusty-breasted Shrike-Thrush {Pinarohstes 

 riifigaster) at his best one must penetrate the densest brushes or 

 explore the muddy fringes of the mangrove swamps. On 5th 

 January a nest containing three fine fresh eggs was found snugly 

 hidden away amongst a mass of coarse fern growing on the 

 borders of a mangrove swamp. Had the bird not darted off the 

 nest at our approach, it would have been passed unnoticed. It 

 made a pretty photograph. 



The Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus vielanops) has been 

 a very prolific breeder during the past season. Many of their 

 nests have been noted, and in nearly every case contained the 

 full complement of three eggs. The first nest observed was on 

 the 27th November, and the last, with eggs much incubated, on 

 26th January. 



The Pied Caterpillar-eater {La/age leucoinelccna) is a common 

 species here, but the nest is rarely found, owing to the fact that 

 it is a tiny structure, and very much resembles the branch on 

 which it is placed ; my only record of a nest for the past 

 season was on the 29th December. The single Qg'g was quite 

 fresh. 



Go where one may amongst the mangroves or along the 

 scrubby creeks the soft warbling note of the little Black-billed 

 or Brown-breasted Fly-eater {Psetidogerygojie brutmcipecUis) may 

 be heard. They prefer to suspend their nests on slender 

 branchlcts overhanging running water, but sometimes may be 

 found in the deep recesses of the mangroves. The nests differ 

 from that of P. niag)iirostris^ inasmuch as they are not either so 

 bulky or so roughly built. 13th October is my earliest date for 



* "Nests and Eggs " (Campbell) stales five only "occasionally." 



