2o8 Jackson, Second Trip to Macpherson Range, Q. \_^^"xr\\ 



drying in the sun thoroughly, was with difficulty pressed into 

 one of these tins. Probably this wet layer is instrumental in 

 promoting heat when the female is sitting on the nest. Under 

 the wet wood were large dead leaves, some measuring 9 by 3 inches, 

 and belonging to a scrub-tree known as " Maiden's Blush" 

 {Echinocarfus australis). Many nests were found, mostly in the 

 top of a tree-fern. One was carefully situated in a satin wood- 

 tree {Zanthoxyhim brachyacanthus), which is very prickly and 

 impossible to climb in the ordinary way, owing to the numerous 

 sharp thorns covering the trunk and limbs. I have known 

 Regent-Birds to build in these trees in the Richmond River scrubs 

 of New South Wales. 



One morning, early, a Large-headed Robin {Paxilodryas capita) 

 came into our camp while we were having our early breakfast. 

 It appeared a rare bird here. One nest was found, and it con- 

 tained many small pieces of skin or scales, proving the young 

 ones had gone. 



Yellow-rumped Robins (Eopsaltria chrysorrhoa) were plentiful, 

 and their notes were usually the first to be heard in the morning 

 and the last in the evening. They flew about until almost dark. 

 Their beautiful nests were sometimes neatly built in between the 

 fronds on the top of tree-ferns.' 



The Albert Lyre-Bird {Meniira alberti) was daily seen, and a 

 few old nests discovered. Once we saw three birds together ; this is 

 unusual. They made a great noise, and scattered quickly when 

 they saw us. One day a pair was carrying on mimicry near a 

 gigantic scrub box tree [Tristania conferta), which I photographed ; 

 it measured over 50 feet in circumference 6 feet up from the 

 ground. Lyre-Birds had been scratching and feeding among the 

 dead leaves around this jungle giant. 



When suddenly disturbed this Lyre-Bird makes a peculiar 

 whistle, " loud and sudden," and then usually resorts to a tree 

 as a means of escape ; it hops from limb to limb until it is often 

 50 feet up. Then there are times when it will run away through 

 the jungle. Its early morning note resembles " Ch-eek — ch-ack — 

 ch-ook — ch-ock — ch-ook — wit." These notes vary from about 

 five to seven generally, and each one, as slowly rendered, gradually 

 goes down the scale until the note "Wit" is reached, which is 

 a sudden contrast, as it is suddenly sounded in quite a high- 

 pitched whistle. The birds are great mimics, and can mock 

 almost any bird or sound they hear in their haunts. 



Rifie Birds-of-Paradise (Ptilorhis paradisea) were frequently 

 seen, but were seldom recorded above the 3,800 feet level. On 

 28th November an adult male and a female were observed in 

 company with two young ones. Except that they were paler 

 in colour, the young resembled the adult female. Their call was 

 rather different, and more " rasping,"^ than that of the adult 

 birds. The handsome male birds appear more plentiful than 

 the females. One day we saw two of the latter hopping up the 

 trunk of a large scrub tree known as holly gum {Litsea reticulata) 



