^"^•'1 Kershaw, A Naturalist in Northern Queensland. 12^ 



■pectoralis macgillivrayi, a new sub-species, only recently 

 recorded from Australia by Dr. Macgillivray. It seems to be 

 very local, as, although fairly plentiful here, it has not been 

 found elsewhere on the mainland. It nests in a hole in the 

 limb of a very large fig-tree, frequently in company with the 

 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Grey Goshawk, and colonies of 

 Glossy Starlings. To reach the nests it was necessary to use 

 a long rope-ladder, as the lowest limb was usually from 60 

 to 70 feet from the ground, and the nest considerably higher. 

 Mr. M'Lennan undertook the rather dangerous work of 

 climbing these trees, frequently adopting the method followed 

 by some of the blacks of chopping steps in the smooth trunk 

 about three feet apart, and only sufficiently large to provide 

 a hold for his big toe. Several nests were investigated in this 

 way. The Glossy Starlings are gregarious, breeding in large 

 companies, their large, bulky nests of tendrils and fine fibres 

 hanging close together from the ends of the boughs. These 

 birds are exceedingly noisy, and their cries when disturbed 

 almost deafening, so that one can always tell when approaching 

 their nesting-places. Under their nesting-trees the ground is 

 usually littered with seeds of various kinds. The Grey Goshawk 

 is said to select a tree for its nest occupied by the Starlings, 

 so that it has a ready supply of young chicks for its young. 

 The small, frail, cup-shaped nest of the Frill-necked Flycatcher, 

 Arses lorealis, was found attached to long, thin vines suspended 

 from a high tree. It was composed of fine fibres and rootlets, 

 ornamented with pieces of lichen and spiders' web, and con- 

 tained two eggs. The bird remained on her nest, which was 

 about 20 feet from the ground, until it was almost touched. 

 Other rare nests found in the scrub were those of the White- 

 faced Robin, Pcecilodryas albifascies, built in a small sapling 

 about five feet from the ground, and composed of leaves with 

 pieces of bark attached to the outside, lined with fine fibres, 

 and contained two eggs ; the Scrub-Robin, Drymodes brunneo- 

 pygius, a cup-shaped, compactly built nest lined with fine fibres, 

 the base formed of small sticks, containing two eggs ; and the 

 White-browed Robin, Pcecilodryas siiperciliosa, a frail, shallow 

 structure of small twigs and rootlets suspended in some leafless 

 creepers about five feet from the ground, and containing two 

 eggs. Among the trees, and especially in any small open 

 space, flitted butterflies of several kinds. The most common 

 was the small black and white Tellervo zoilus, Melanitis hankia, 

 and Doleschallia australis, the two latter of which closely 

 resemble the dead leaves on the ground, among which they 

 always settle. Two new species, Hypocysta angustata. and Pepli- 

 ophorus Claudia, were found here, as well as several examples 

 of Delias cestiva and the rare Terias virgo, but probably the 



