QUEENSLAND and NORTHERN TERRITORY 55 



hollows of the trees close by and feeding on the 

 scale insects and grass seeds of the bush. In dry 

 seasons they are a little harmful to the neighbour- 

 ing orchards, as fruit eaters. Their habitat is local 

 so that they learn their feeding grounds and change 

 them with the season. Winter will draw a con- 

 gregation of adjacent families, though not to the 

 extent of truly gregarious birds. 



The northern section "c" of may 18 is paler than 

 the southern, which i*. a natural law in Australia; 

 but it is nor less attractive in its light blue plumage 

 and lemon head. The southern birds "a" are in 

 such great number, and consequently so familiar to 

 the eye, that we do not properly appreciate the 

 beauty of their suits of many colours. 



The largest of the group is found along the 

 beautiful Derwent Valley of Tasmania. The first 

 of the group was discovered at Rose Hill near 

 Sydney, from which the twist in the name evolved. 



KINGFISHERS (Kookaburra Races) 



The Laughing Jackass, or Kookaburra, is more 

 properly termed the Great brown Kingfisher. In 

 the south "a" map 21, it is the largest of the family, 

 and the plainest. In the north a 1 , particularly 

 the Bloomfield River, it is the smallest, and with 

 more colour. To use another common name this 

 "bushman's clock" is a very friendly bird all 

 through the day, and believes in being early to 

 bed and early to rise. 



