142 DoDD, A Collecting Trip to Herberton District, N.O. [ 



Vict. Nat. 



Nov. 



spots with the utmost care. I have, comparatively recently, 

 read of a nervous oologist from the south, posing as a hardened 

 and experienced bushman, who stayed in camp for a whole 

 day, for fear of blood-poisoning setting in from the bites of 

 leeches and scrub-itch. The latter is annoying enough, but 

 not so bad by far as these tiny ticks, nor does the scrub-itch 

 cause, as reported, " torturing sores " on man, beast, or bird. No 

 man has ever yet shot a bird (especially a Tooth-bill) suffering 

 from scrub-itch sores. To pretend that one endures " absolute 

 torture '' from the bites of the tiny Acarid, after being in the 

 scrub a lew hours, is most amusing. However, the long bow 

 must be frequently drawn to make up pretty stories and show 

 what heroes have to endure. Sores, if developed through scrub- 

 itch bites, are brought on by the person himself. Most fortunate 

 it is that these several pests of the forest and scrub do not poison 

 our blood, such as splinters and other foreign objects are apt 

 to do ; but a scrub-tick will kill the largest dog, or bring on 

 strange and almost alarming symptoms in a child, as we know 

 by actual experience. A few plain facts, such as are given in 

 the above fifteen or twenty lines, and in other portions of these 

 notes, are very necessary, for innocent and untravelled 

 southerners might come to look upon our wonderful scrubs 

 as awful places, frequented only by horrific snakes and fierce 

 cannibalistic btlcks, and therefore places to be very carefully 

 avoided if they desire to live to a good ripe age. Again, I must 

 not omit to mention that the Fever Fiend does not stalk 

 through these scrubs — i.e., those of Atherton, Evelyn, and other 

 elevated parts ; even down on the coast malarial fever is now- 

 adays very rare. 



To get my collections safely to Herberton, it was necessary 

 to carry them by hand, the jolting of a buggy, no matter how 

 carefully driven, being much too risky. We had taken in a 

 portion previously and sent it on to Kuranda, and that re- 

 maining my son and I carried in on the morning of my 

 departure. We left at 6 o'clock, to catch the train leaving at 

 9.35. The walk over the twelve miles (surveyed) was generally 

 pleasant and interesting. The country was dry and brown when 

 I passed through in November, but now it was covered with 

 fresh green grass, with flowers here and there, and the notes 

 and songs of birds added to the pleasure of the walk. The 

 morning was bright and dewy, tall box-trees were in flower, 

 providing various birds with their breakfast. To my surprise 

 and delight I heard, the first time for very many years, the 

 clear, unmistakable notes of the Bell-bird, Oreoica cristata, but 

 the last note seemed slightly different from that of the bird as 

 I have heard it in Victoria. 



