220 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [rn^'"ian 



yellow and was a much brighter bird than the southern form. Dr. 

 Cleland informs me that, upon comparing the skin he procured with 

 those taken around Sydney, he could not detect any difference. 

 2 — Iris light brown ; bill dark greyish-brown ; legs yellowish-brown ; 

 pharj-nx flesh-coloured. 



Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris. Spinebill. — These birds were very 

 numerous about the camp, making quite a fuss and noise all day long. 



Ptilotis chrysotis (Meliphaga lewinii). Yellow-eared Honey-eater. — 

 This bird was very numerous, and met with in nearly every situation. 

 Its great range of notes are all very pleasing, but are so varied that 

 one often has to pause and listen to make sure of the bird. 



.ffigintha temporalis. Red-browed Finch. — These Finches did not 

 appear to be plentiful. 



Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus (P. violaceus). Satin Bower-Bird. — 

 These birds were most numerous, and never have I seen so many 

 birds together before. In the mornings and evenings I have counted 

 more than thirty of both sexes feeding in the open glades, especially 

 round a spring of water where watercress was plentiful. They retired 

 to the shady tropical scrub during the hot hours of the day. A 

 beautiful bower was built close to the camp, and afforded the members 

 much pleasure, for the birds were often to be seen renovating and 

 decorating their play -ground. From specimens examined it is 

 doubtful if they were nesting, owing possibly to the dry season. 

 cJ — Iris beautiful deep blue, shading to purple, then red in the centre ; 

 feet yellowish-brown ; bill light blue, tip yellow ; total length, 

 319 mm. ; wing from body to tip, 235 mm. ; spread, 493 mm. 



Ailuroedus smithi {A. cr as sir sir is). Cat-Bird. — The harsh call of 

 this bird was often heard in the scrub, mostly in the mornings and 

 evenings. There is a fair variation in specimens collected from the 

 same locality, both in the density of colour and markings. The fol- 

 lowing is supplied by Dr. J. B. Cleland : — Bill pallid yellowish, tip 

 grey ; under bill pallid yellowish ; pharynx black. 



Sericulus chrysocephalus (S. c. rothschildi). Regent-Bird. — Strange 

 to say, although many of these birds were seen — in fact, they were 

 fairly numerous — yet only one or two full-plumaged males were met 

 with. It is quite possible, through the dryness of the season, they 

 had not nested, therefore the males had not put on their nuptial 

 dress. ■ Dr. Cleland gives the following : — Iris greenish-yellow, with 

 brown specks ; bill rich brown, culmen paler brown ; legs dark 

 greyish-brown ; gape and pharynx orange-yellow. (These notes 

 evidently pertain to a bird out of plumage, for the writer did not see 

 a lull-})lumaged bird taken.) 



Ptiloris paradisea. Rifle-Bird. — This is without doubt the most 

 beautiful of the southern Queensland birds. Not only is it adorned 

 with the most wonderful and beautiful plumage, but its habits, flight, 

 and call resemble so much members of the most wonderful and 

 beautiful birds of the world — " the Birds-of-Paradise." They were 

 plentiful in these scrubs upon the Bunya Mountains, and it was a 

 common sight to sit in camp (a collection of eight to nine tents) and 

 watch birds of both sexes come to the several small pools in a creek 

 which was fast drying up. One afternoon Dr. Leach and the writer 

 were observing the birds coming to drink when a female of this 

 species came quite close. She stayed about quite a long while, 



