Vol. XVII 

 1917 



J Campbell and Barnard, Binla of N . Queensland. IQ 



table-land. Their loud whistling call of " Koel" was frequently 

 heard during night-time, as well as by day. 



Scythrops novae-hollandise. Channclbill. 



Scythrops novceholUindicc novcehollandicB. 



This great Cuckoo was observed in the scrubs of the Murray River, 

 usually feeding in the large fig-trees. They often brush off or let figs 

 fall, which patter loudly on the forest fioor, and thus V)etrav the 

 presence to observers of the big birds on high. 



The screech-call of the Channelbill is difficult to imitate, but when 

 once heard is nc\er forgotten. The first calls we heard were on i6th 

 September. 



Centropus phasianus. Pheasant-Coucal. 



Polopliilus phasianus phasianus . 



Common about the grassy fiats, and when disturbed would fly up 

 into a neighbouring tree. One nest was observed in a patch of grass 

 about 2 feet above the ground, with the tops of the grass pulled over 

 in the form of a hood. It was in a good position for a photograph, 

 but the clutch of eggs was not complete. 



The call of the Coucal is very curious. It is continvious, and 

 resembles the noise made in the neck of a demijohn when liquid is 

 being poured out. 



A good figure from a photograph ol the Coucal mav be seen in Tlie 

 Emu, vol. ix., pi. xii. 



Pitta si minima. Lesser Pitta. 



Coloburis versicolor intermedia. 



Common in the scrubs of the IMurray River and the scrubs of the 

 table-land. 



P. simillima is supposed to be a northern race of P. strepitans. If, 

 as Mathews states, he has an intermedia form, then the birds may 

 possibly be linked as one. Two males that we procured were variable 

 in size. 



The beautiful P. mackloti is stated bv Broadbent to have been 

 observed at Rockingham Bay. It was high up the Herbert, in a 

 hill scrub. The bird may have overshot its mark in migrating from 

 New Guinea, from which country P. simillima has also been seen 

 coming. 



Hirundo neoxena. Welcome Swallow. 

 Hirundo neoxena neoxena. 



This homely little bird was seen about Cardwell, hawking over 

 the grass. 



Petrochelidon nigricans. Tree-Martin. 

 Hylochelidon nigricans rogersi. 



Seen on the Alurray River and hawking low over the gi^assy flats. 



Microeca fascinans. Brown Flycatcher. 

 Micrceca Jascinans pallida. 



Seen on the Kirrama Table-land, where they were observed 

 breeding. There is no question that it was the common variety, 

 and not pallida, which De Vis described from the drier " Gulf " country, 

 and which is exceedingly pale-coloured. 



Microeca flavigaster. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher. 



Kempia jiai'igaster terrceregincB. 



Common about Cardwell, and a lew seen about the Murray River. 

 It is essentially a coastal bird, in the Rockingham Bay region, at all 



