24 Banfield, Metallic Starlings. [isf July 



has rendered nests iminhabitable, a fine interval has so far 

 dekided them that they have started to demohsh and rebuild, 

 only to be finally driven away by the despiteful recurrence of the 

 rain. Seldom do Metallic Starlings shriek and glitter in North 

 Queensland jungles as late as the end of March. Here their 

 departure has been noted as early as 20th February. They come 

 to this spot during the first week of August. Last year they were 

 first heard and seen on the 5th of that month, while at a spot 

 only 7 miles away, on the mainland, they had made themselves 

 apparent a fortnight earlier. 



A colony which has re-established itself in a tall, slim Moreton 

 Bay ash (eucalypt) in the heart of the forest, hatched out three, if 

 not four, distinct broods during the season. At first the colony 

 was 60 nests strong. In six weeks the number had increased by 

 30. The second hatching took place early in December, the third 

 about the middle of January, and there is some evidence in 

 favour of a fourth hatching late in February. Rain during 

 January and February was not sufficient to seriously annoy the 

 colony, which on 4th February included 125 nests. On that date 

 two over-weighted branches broke down. In several of the nests 

 were fledglings, but all save two had been killed by the shock, or 

 had been slowly done to death by green ants. One of the 

 survivors died shortly after discovery of its forlorn plight. The 

 other lived as a pet for a couple of months. The adult Metallic 

 Starling is remarkable for the colour and lustre of the eyes. They 

 are flame-tinted, and glitter with gem-like brilliancy. During 

 infancy the eyes of the castaway were deep brown, much the shade 

 of its back. Not until a month after it had become one of the 

 household did they begin to change. And the heightened pigment 

 was not permanent. It became intensified or paled with the 

 changeful moods. In quiet moments the eyes were thin, waterj^ 

 red. Excitement or anger deeply tinged them. One could see the 

 tints of the iris vary with almost every pulsation. The emotions 

 of the little bird — its familiarity and bold assurance gave unique 

 opportunity for critical inspection — were expressed in terms of 

 more or less vivid colour. 



On 3rd December three or more nests were discovered under the 

 tree. In each there were three eggs, all slightly incubated. Each 

 nest was carpeted with fragments of fresh green Moreton Bay ash 

 leaves, which had been torn and nibbled at the edges. What 

 office do the green leaves perform ? Possibly the pungency so 

 agreeable to the human sense of smell may be obnoxious to the 

 insects which fidget the adults, who, by the use of the frayed 

 leaves, contrive peace for their sensitive offspring. 



To return to the castaway : It was estimated that when about 

 six weeks old it daily consumed food sufficient for an infant eight 

 times its age. Its menu included oatmeal porridge and milk, rice, 

 mango, papaw, bread, cake, large white grubs, grasshoppers, 

 caterpillars, mosquitoes bloated with human blood, March and 

 lesser flies, and samples of every edible unprotected from its 



