Vol. XII. 

 1912 



1 Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. y^ 



and noticed the Restless Flycatchers [Sisura inquieta) eating them. Two 

 careworn-looking Emus came up to the camp in an inquisitive way after 

 sundown, also a few kangaroos. Saw some Wedge-tailed Eagles ( Uroa'etus 

 audax) and Whistling Eagles {Haltnstttr splieniirus) about. Noticed a flock 

 of several of the little White-browed Babblers {Poiiiatosfoimes siiperciliosus) 

 moving amongst the native lime trees {Atnlaniia g/aiica, Hook.) east and 

 north-east of the camp to-day. 



28/// September. — A Bower-Bird at camp early again. Visited the new 

 nests of Short-billed Tit {Sniicrornis brcvirostris) and Striped Honey-eater 

 {Plec/or//aiiip/ti/s la)iccolatus), and was disgusted to find both pulled to 

 pieces. Found another new nest of Pscudogerygoiie jacksoni being built in 

 snckers growing up from the base of a ring-barked coolibah tree, and placed 

 about 8 or 9 feet from the ground. Heard a Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo 

 {Chalcococcyx basalts., Horsf ) this morning; this is the first Cuckoo noted. 

 Other birds noted to-day, and for the first time since my arrival, were : — 

 Oriole {0?-ifllus Sagittarius), Chough {Corcorax nielanorJiamplius), Leather- 

 head {Trofiidor/iy/ic/iHs cornicidaius) \ and noticed the Spiny-cheeked 

 Honey-eater [Acant/ioge/ivs ritfigularis') plentiful, also the Mistletoe-Bird 

 {Diccpuni hiriindinacciim\ Came across some Emu droppings full of 

 prickly pear {Cactus) seeds. I noticed that from some of the old ones dozens 

 of young prickly pear plants were growing ; they were club-shaped, and 

 measured i inch high. Where these were growing there were no old or 

 developed plants within a few miles or more, so the Emus appear to 

 distribute the seeds over big areas. Saw a pair of beautiful Crimson-bellied 

 Parrakeets {PsepJiotus hcDitatorr'lious) feeding in a bumble tree {Capparis 

 Dtitchelli, Lindl.) which was loaded with its unripe large, round, and green 

 fruits — these the birds were opening in order to get at the pink pomegranate- 

 like seeds. In fact, when the fruit is broken open before ripe, it has the 

 perfume and appearance of pomegranate inside. The tree is usually thorny, 

 with light to dark green foliage, not unlike that of an orange tree in general 

 appearance, hence the name of wild orange or bumble. When ripe the 

 fruit is soft and something like a passion fruit in its internal consistency, 

 and contains many hard flat and kidney-shaped seeds. The Bower-Birds 

 eat the fleshy part of the fruit when ripe, and often leave only the rind hanging 

 in the trees. The fruit grows singly on a long stem. Some are 8 inches in 

 circumference. During a long walk to-day I saw no more Bower- Birds, and 

 was much disappointed. Three birds were at No. i bower near the camp. 

 Bush mice most troublesome in camp, and busy at the "tucker" box. 

 When having some lunch to-day at camp a Bower-Bird hopped beside me, 

 and looked up as if asking for more jam ; generally a little was put out every 

 night in a special tin, and the bird never failed to come next morning for 

 it. Had several shots at some Crows late yesterday, throwing the empty 

 cartridges down in front of the tent, and this morning they had gone ; 

 probably they were taken by the Bower-Birds for their play-ground (No. i). 

 Went north-west from camp after a storm. I found the ground a bit 

 sticky, and many birds were drinking from the small pools of water here and 

 there on the hard ground. Saw numbers of snails {Succinea), over half an 

 inch long. The ground was well covered with them at certain parts, and 

 they appeared to come from the bases of tufts of dead grass, where they 

 often live after growing large, and coming down from under the bark on the 

 trees. A person would never think such things as land-shells or snails 

 could exist on such baked and dry ground, and in such heat. A large 

 black ant {Ectaioiinna mayri) that is found here uses these dead 

 Succinea shells for placing round the mouth of its nest or hillock, and those 

 selected are usually bleached pure white and long dead. Samples of ants 

 and shells were collected for identification. Noticed that the Barnard 

 Parrakeet often utters a peculiar cluck-like note, not unlike that rendered 

 by the female of the Caterpillar-eater [Edoliispura tetiuiroslre). Heard a 

 Bronze-Cuckoo {Chalcococcyx plagosus) to-day, the first of this particular 



