250 Correspondence. [" J^ 



April 



were referable to Pachycephala queenslandica, and not to this 

 species at all, especially the one with the ' red ' young in " (last 

 three lines, p. 268). 



The inner history of finding the nests of Mattingleya inornata 

 is as follows : — In October, 1916, Mr. H. Greensill Barnard, the 

 well-known Queensland field naturalist, and I were guests of Mr. 

 Tom Butler, J. P., near Cardwell, N.Q. There were several sons 

 in the family, all well versed in bushcraft. Mr. Barnard pro- 

 duced a skin of the Thickhead in question, which we obtained 

 nearer the coast, and intimated he would give a reward to any 

 of the boys who found a similar bird's nest and eggs. At the 

 end of a week there had been no result, except with other species. 

 Therefore, in a jocular manner, I said — " I suppose the old 

 oologist will have to go out and find the nest," or words to that 

 effect. 



When examining an old clearing on the edge of some virgin 

 scrub where Topknot Pigeons were feeding on the bright blue 

 fruit of " quandong " trees, a small bird flushed from a bunch 

 of suckers springing from a low stump. The bird perched in a 

 neighbouring tree, where I got a good view of it, and it 

 commenced to preen its feathers. This was none other than the 

 species the nest of which we were seeking. Then, examining the 

 bush, I found it sheltered a nest containing two eggs. As it was 

 late in the afternoon I took the eggs, and on the following morning 

 returned with Mr. Barnard. Fortunately, one of the parents 

 was found still in the vicinity of the nest. Mr. Barnard shot it. 

 This was important for identification purposes, as the sequel has 

 proved. Replacing the eggs, I photographed the nest in situ — 

 the picture in The Emu, xvi., pi. xxxv. Mr. H. L. White 

 described the eggs on page 163, same volume, while the skin of 

 the bird obtained is in the " H. L. White Collection," National 

 Museum, Melbourne. It was Mr. Barnard who observed the 

 nest with " red " coloured young, and he subsequently took 

 another nest with eggs. Further, regarding the possibility, as 

 Mr. Mathews suggests, of the birds being .Pachycephala queens- 

 landica {i.e., the common pectoralis), that species was not breeding 

 in the coastal country, but up in the ranges and on the table-land 

 beyond. — I am, &c., 



A. J. CAMPBELL. 

 Box Hill (Vic), 26/2/21. 



Death of Member. — Members of the R.A.O.U. will regret to 

 learn of the death of Mr. A. W. Milhgan, an honorary member 

 of the Union, which occurred at a private hospital, St. Kilda, on 

 the 30th March. An extended notice of the late Mr. Milligan's 

 ornithological labours in the field, together with a camp scene of 

 one of his Western Australian expeditions, will appear in the next 

 (July) issue of The Emu. 



