34 Campbell and Barnard, Birds of N. Queensland. [2pd'Tiiv 



rama Creek, on the table-land, when we procured skins we found 

 that they were smaller, decidedly darker, and had longer bills than 

 the southern forms. The eggs were also smaller, but characteristic. 



A nest found suspended in a Casuarina (27/10/16) was outwardly 

 composed of green moss and portions of insect cocoons and v/eb and 

 was well lined with fine rootlets and a few Casuarina needles. Dimen- 

 sions over all, 3 inches across by .? inches in depth. 



Ptilotis flava. Yellow Honey-eater. 



Broadbentia flava flava. 



The flava, with its merry " Wheea, whee-a " notes, is a favourite. 

 It is found throughout scrubs, and always frequents the orchards 

 and gardens whnn flowers are out. Its pretty nest, composed of 

 brownish shreds of bark, was also taken and photographed. 



Ptilotis frenata. Bridled Honey-eater. 



Meliphaga jrenata. 



This dark-coloured Honey-eater is another of the fine feathered 

 " citizens " of Cardwell, and one of the Broadbent discoveries. The 

 discoverer states it "is a mountain bird." 



We observed it at the creek courses in the liills, at the rear ot Card- 

 well. Small parties used to come to the rocky pools to bathe. 

 Sometimes a bird would peer inquisitively from behind a branch at 

 the intruder before it would inomentarily splash into the clear water. 



[I first saw this fine species in Dalrymple's Gap, 1885, where 

 numerous birds were feasting on the long, branching, dark red 

 flowering spikes of a graceful umbrella-tree (Brassaia) — A.J.C.] 



Meliornis herbertoni. Herberton Honey-eater. 



Meliornis iiiger herbertoni. 



This showy species, with golden-splashed wings, was one of the 

 surprises of the table-land. It was fairly common amongst the red- 

 flowering bottle-brush trees {Callistemon) that embowered Kirrama 

 Creek. A nest was observed building down in the centre of a tuft 

 of reeds surrounded by water, but the bird had not laid when -we 

 left the district. 



The Herberton variety differs from the southern White-cheeked 

 Honey-eater by its smaller size and brighter colouring. 



It is strange Broadbent neglected to record the bird for this 

 district, because there are sevei'al skins of Ixis collecting in the 

 Queensland iNIuseum. 



Myzantha garrula. Noisy Miner. 



Myzantha melanocephala crassirostris. 



This particularly common bird was seen, but not m numbers, on 

 the table-land. As expected, it was slightly smaller in size. 



Tropidorhynchus buceroides. Helmeted Friar-Bird. 



Neophilemon buceroides buceroides. 



At first, from field observation, we thought this large species was 

 argenticeps, because of its silvery crown, but on procuring a skin it 

 was undoubtedly buceroides. Several of their large nests and hand- 

 some red-marked eggs were subsequently taken. 



These big birds were always about the flowering trees, notably 

 gums, and were very pugnacious towards smaller birds that came 

 to the same ti^ee. 



Among the curious calls of this large Friar-Bird is one that resembles 

 the words, " Poor devil, poor devil," repeated man}- times. 



