72 Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. [ist^Oct. 



curious harsh notes all the time. One visited the front of the tent early this 

 morning, and was busy at the empty jam-tins ; it came quite close to me as 

 I was having breakfast. Heard another Pset(dogcrygfliic jacksoni calling 

 sweetly again to-day. Also for the first time came across the vine of the 

 native silk {Marsdenia IcicJtJiardtiana., F. v. M.), the long cigar-shaped pods 

 of which the Bower-Birds often place in their play-grounds. \Yhen these 

 are i-emoved from the vine the stem at point of fracture exudes a white 

 milky and sticky fluid. The vine does not grow thickly, creeps on trees, 

 and has a long, narrow leaf, with the pods suspended like small cucumbers. 

 Bower-Birds collect them when firm and green. When ripe these pods 

 turn brown, burst on one side, and all the beautiful silky flutit" and seeds are 

 scattered by the wind ; the flowers were glossy and of a creamy-yellow 

 colour. Inspected No. 2 bower to-day, about 3 miles north of the camp ; 

 found it in good order and full of decorations, including some of the native 

 silk pods. None of the Bower-Birds shows any signs of breeding yet. 



^•jtJi SeptcDiber. — Great wind storm last night from south-west, but the 

 camp stood well. A Bower-Bird (no lilac nape) at camp again before 6 a.m. 

 Saw flock of three Black-breasted Plovers {Zonifcr tricolor) at the sheep- 

 tank this morning, also seven Yellow-legged Spoonbills {Platibis flavipes). 

 Found another nest of Psciidogcrys;o)ic jacksoni nearly completed and placed 

 up about 9 feet in the suckers growing from the base of a ring-barked 

 coolibah {Eucalyptus bicolor, F. v. M.) Saw a pair of the Barnard 

 Parrakeets [Barfiardius barfmrdi) sitting in a dead tree near a hollow. 

 On the west of the camp is an extensive plain on which some handsome 

 gruie or Emu apple trees {Ozucnia acidtila, F. v. M.) are growing ; they give 

 splendid shade, and the Emus often rest under them, and eat the fruit when 

 they can reach it. Saw a number of small nests pulled to pieces again 

 to-day. and hanging from the trees ; I think the goannas do a lot of this 

 damage as well as the Crows. On entering a belt of cypress pine {Callitris 

 robusta, R. Br.) I saw a handsome Red-capped Robin ( Petrceca <^oode}tovii, 

 V. and H.) ; this bird utters a feeble note resembling the cricket-like cry or 

 call of a small frog. Here I visited a large bumble or wild orange tree 

 {Capparis mitchelli, Lindl.) leaves ; much attacked by a scale insect 

 {Lecafiiujit, sp.) Two Babblers {Pomatostomi/s superciliosus) were picking 

 the scales from some of the leaves. Came across a small wild fuchsia 

 tree {Ereniophila maculata, F. v. M.) — it has a pretty, bell-like red 

 flower, and belongs to the Myoporinecc family. The seed berries the 

 Bower-Birds place in their play-grounds — have noticed several 

 therein. While having my tea at dusk a pair of Native Companions 

 flew past the tent and down to the sheep-tank ; have noticed the call 

 of this bird is sometimes rather like some notes uttered by the Channel- 

 bill Cuckoo {Scyt/irops novcp-liollandia). Not many Crows about the 

 tank to-night ; as a rule a great number turn up for a drink at sundown. 

 Saw a Bower-Bird drinking late this evening, and noted that it flew directly 

 eastwards across the plain. Additions to No. i bower inspected to-day 

 were : — Two new galvanized roofing nails with the wide dump-like head, 

 also a piece of cuttle-fish {Scpiidce) shell, and some freshly-plucked red 

 coolibah {E. bicolor., F. v. M.) leaves (young). The new nails and cuttle-fish 

 shell the birds must have picked up about a homestead or a Chinaman's 

 camp, and the nearest house is at Cambo Cambo, over 3 miles away. 

 Lignum bush {Muehlenbeckia ci/ntiin^hatiii, F. v. M.) grows near the camp, 

 but most of it is dead ; this is also the case with the nardoo plant {Aforsilea 

 druvttnonaii^ A. Br.) The latter has a silky leaf, greyish-green in colour 

 and clover-like in shape. Emus eat the leaves when they can get them, and 

 often pass them out again in a caked mass ; the seeds they also eat. The 

 Crested Bell-Birds {Oreoica cristata) call out all round mostly just after 

 sunset and up till dark ; one of them roosts very often in a bunary tree 

 {Heterodendron olecefolium^ Desf) close to the camp. Saw many of the 

 poisonous red-backed spiders {Latrodectus hasselti) when getting firewood, 



