28 IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



A hollow in the trunk of a dead gum tree near 

 the hut was used each season by a pair of Great 

 Brown Kingfishers. The nest was inaccessible to our 

 boldest climber. Not that we wished to rob it, but 

 it would have been interesting to peer at the nestlings. 

 When fledged the young Laughing Jacks were pretty 



GREAT BROWN KINGFISHER. 



and desirable, but some chicks seen elsewhere proved 

 less attractive. The owners of our home nest were 

 friendly enough. When we worked in the garden one 

 or other of the birds would be in attendance, ready to 

 dart almost beneath spade or hoe, to snap up a worm 

 or fat white grub. All the Bush people had a good 

 word for Kookaburra. "They are rare good 'uns," 

 a man remarked, "kill snakes and such like vermin." 

 We were not fortunate enough to see a snake killed by 



