I40 DoDD, A CollecHns, Trip to Herberfon District, N.Q. \^'^%^^^' 



as 80 or 90 feet. Without blacks to help search and to climb 

 for us it was waste of valuable time to attempt to find the 

 nests in these great scrubs, where the timber is loftier than in 

 the Atherton district. Our hands were too full of entomo- 

 logical work. Out from early morning until dark, in the scrub 

 on windy and moonlight nights, and on the hills on dark and 

 occasional wet ones— with the right conditions a wet night is 

 quite a productive one. Often my son was out at night, far 

 from any habitation, either in scrub or forest, for my work 

 seldom left me free to accompany him then, the preparation 

 and setting of specimens keeping me in. The fact of him. 

 quite alone, collecting at night, far from any house, without 

 even a dog, and as easy in his mind as if in the company of 

 others, speaks volumes of the deadly fear we entertained of 

 the " evil-looking " blacks. The few blacks in the district are 

 just the same good-humoured, ragged, smoking, and often 

 decrepit-looking creatures one sees in the Atherton. Kuranda. 

 and other well-settled districts, who hang about hoping for 

 odd pieces of bread, meat, and tobacco, and willing to do a 

 little work to get their stomachs filled, then go to sleep or loaf 

 around until hungry again, but as harmless as our wives' pet 

 fowls. This being a truthful and unembellished narrative, I 

 must admit that we did fear these awful blacks at times, more 

 particularly one old chap, who undoubtedly stole one of our 

 largest Zeuzerid chrysalides — to eat ! Once or twice the chills 

 of fear crept over me when I came across a band of black 

 youngsters — the leader armed with a murderous-looking toma- 

 hawk — at the thought of them discovering and eating, not me 

 or my son, but some of the Zeuzeridas caterpillars we had 

 located in the bush — fine fat specimens of which they were 

 searching for. 



For some days, when collecting in a particular spot, we 

 noticed that two Curlews, Burhinus graUarius, were frequently 

 near and greatly interested in our movements. One day I 

 attempted to find the eggs, which I supposed were not far 

 away, but without success, so turned off in another direction, 

 but had not gone man\' yards when a slight noise behind caused 

 me to turn, and there were the birds, not more than six feet 

 off, with wings extended, hissing and showing great anger. 

 Whether they would have actually struck at me I cannot say. 

 They both stood, so, supposing the young or eggs were close 

 by, I looked a little longer, one bird keeping very close and 

 bouncing me, moving forward or backward as I moved. Next 

 day, having a few minutes to spare, I again went to the spot, 

 and up came the birds, one keeping close to me as before, and 

 angrily disputing my advance, nor was she alarmed when I 

 pushed m}' net stick close to her, but just gingerly stepped a 



