^8 Campbell and Barnard, Birds of N . Queensland, [ond'^jtiiv 



not record it. However, one (a female) in a state of semi-captivity 

 at Cardwell interested us much. It was brought some years ago, 

 when young, from the table-land, and reared by Miss Cook, of the 

 Marine Hotel, who afterwards gave the bird its freedom. But it 

 rarely left the precincts of the place. If hunting abroad by day, it 

 usually returned to its cage at night. However, like the aborigines, 

 the bird is tempted to "go bush" at times, and absents itself for 

 several days. Once it travelled as far as the Upper JMurray school, 

 over 20 miles away, where some scholars recognized " Miss Cook's 

 pet ' Butcher.' " 



About the time of our visit to Cardwell the Pied bird attracted 

 a Black Butcher-Bird, which used also to come into the house (i.e., 

 the kitchen) after meat. One day we were able to get a photo. -snap 

 of the black and white bird. This was fortunate, because she after- 

 wards decamped for a period to the scrub with her bright black 

 mate— most probably to nest. (See Plate IX.) 



The mating of the Black species with the Pied one might throw some 

 light on the proneness of the former to sometimes possess brown 

 mates. In any case, it is not evidence in favour of Mathews's division 

 of the genus Cracticua and his new name, Melloria, for the Black 

 Butcher-Bird. 



The distinctive duet of a mated pair of Pied Butcher-Birds is among 

 the sweetest music of bush birds. While performing, the pair 

 courtesy to each other, and at the same time are answering other 

 songful pairs, so that the woodland resounds, as it were, with a round 

 of music. 



Cracticus destructor. Collared Butcher-Bird. 



Bulestes forquatus torquatus. 



This common Butcher-Bird was found breeding on the table-land. 

 Broadbent appeared to have missed it, while Ramsay stated it was 

 the same as the New South Wales species. The song of this 

 Butcher-Bird is five or six flute-like notes in distinct polka time. 



Gymnorhina tibicen. Black-backed Magpie: 

 Gymnorhina tibicen terviBregiyics. 



Broadbent obtained the Black-backed Magpie, and, although we did 

 not get a skin, we agree with him that it appeared to be the tibicen. 

 Ramsay also identified the species, but stated they appeared smaller 

 birds. Pairs were breeding near the Kirrama homestead, on the 

 table-land. 



Penguin Eggs. — Mr. Gaze, who has lately returned from the 

 Antarctic, where he has been on the s.s. Aurora, states that the 

 eggs of the Adelie Penguin were a welcome source of food supply 

 to the explorers in those inhospitable and cold regions. He 

 states that by taking the first clutch of two eggs the birds gener- 

 ally laid again, so that in some cases one pair of birds produced 

 as many as seven eggs, but each clutch was smaller than those 

 laid previously. There was only a few days' interval between 

 the laying of the additional clutches. The birds themselves 

 were also an additional meat supply, but were not quite as tender 

 as seal-meat. Seal blubber was never eaten, but was used ex- 

 clusively for burning, its smoke generally blackening the tent 

 inside. — ^D. Le Souef. Melbourne. 



