Common Birds — Percy Islands. 183 



days was occupied by an almost continuous round of festivities, 

 during which we were driven about the country, had a cricket- 

 match, shooting expeditions, two balls in the Town Hall, and 

 sundry other amusements. The settlement contains a population 

 of only 300, and seems to have been of late years rather receding 

 than advancing in numbers, as many of the settlers had moved on 

 to other more promising centres of industry. There was the old 

 story of a projected railway which was to open up the country, 

 develop its hidden resources, connect it with the neighbouring 

 town of Rockhampton — distant about jighty miles — and give a 

 fresh impetus to trade ; but the hopes of its construction were 

 visionary. 



We made several shooting excursions in quest of bird specimens, 

 and found the pied grallina (G. picata), the butcher bird (a species 

 of Grauatlus), the garrulous honeyeater {Myzantha garrida), the 

 laughing jackass (Dacelo gigas), and many doves and flycatchers 

 abundant in the immediate vicinity of the settlement. Walking 

 one day through the forest about two miles inland, we came upon 

 a grove of tall eucalyptus trees, on the upper branches of which 

 were myriads of paroquets, making an almost deafening noise as 

 they flew hither and thither, feeding on the fragrant blossoms. 

 Among them were three species of Trichoglossus, viz., T. Novce 

 Hollandice, T. rubitorqids, and T. chrysocolla. We also shot speci- 

 mens of the friar bird {Tropidorhyncus corniadatus) y and several 

 honeyeaters, flycatchers, and shrikes ; so that as a place for bird 

 collecting it was exceedingly rich, both in numbers and species. 



We got under way on the 30th of April, in the morning, and 

 on the following day anchored off the largest and most northern 

 of the Percy Islands. I landed with Haswell in the afternoon, 

 and after exploring the beach in search of marine specimens, we 

 directed our steps towards the interior of the island. We followed 

 a narrow winding foot track, which led us to a rudely-built hut, in 

 which dwelt an old Australian colonist named Captain Allen, to 

 whom the island virtually belongs. He had a small kitchen 



