Vol. XII 



I0I2 



•] Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bowev-Bird. 89 



is the common note of the Spotted Bower-Bird. Saw an Emu get 

 through a six-wire fence with great ease and rapidity. 



4//; November. — Built small framework of saplings to cover with 

 blankets at night, and inside develop my photographic plates. Met 

 ]\Ir. Bruce Doyle in the bush, and in companv with him took a nest 

 (two eggs'* of Pied Robin, which was built in a small green budda 

 tree. Saw some handsome Ground Cuckoo-Shrikes (Ptevopodocys 

 phasianella'^. Their peculiar note is shrill, and quite distinct from 

 that of the other Cuckoo-Shrikes. Nest of Black-and-White Fantail 

 in tree near camp now contains three young birds, which fill the nest 

 well. They can nearly fly. Foxes plentiful. Occasionally 1 came 

 across the small flowers of Helipterum floribimdum. (Dl.) and Cassia 

 circinata (Benth.) in the Bower-Birds' play-grounds. 



Sth November. — Two Bower-Birds about the camp early this 

 morning, picking up objects and flying away with them to their bower 

 (No. 1). While hopping about and chasing one another the erection 

 of the beautiful lilac frills was again very noticeable, the " fan " 

 opening and closing often rather quickly, the feathers on the head 

 being ruffled at the same time. Saw two Brown Hawks (Hieracidea 

 orientalis) calling out loudly and swooping down at a large scaly 

 lizard (Trachysaurus rugosus). I often find the remains of these 

 peculiar and slothful blue-tongued reptiles on the ground under the 

 numerous Hawk and Eagle nests. 



Gfh November — Visited nest of Bower-Bird to the north-west of camp, 

 which was seen in course of construction on 29th October, but to my 

 surprise no more had been done to it, and the birds had evidently 

 abandoned it. Found another Bower-Bird's nest in a budda sapling, 

 only 8 feet up. Took nest and two eggs of Spiny-cheeked Honey- 

 eater , nest placed near the top of a tall green belah tree ; eggs fresh. 

 Bird almost let me put my hand on her before flushing. Bower- 

 Birds busy feeding on boobialla and wilga berries. Took some photo- 

 graphs with my large camera. After 7.30 p.m. developed and washed 

 photographic plates exposed to-day. The heat was intense. 



yth November — Took some photographs of nests along the Moonie 

 River some few miles east of camp. Saw pair of Bronze-wing Pigeons 

 \Phaps chalcoptera) feeding on the ground. Also found old nest of 

 Bower-Bird in chimp of yellow-flowering mistletoe (Loranthus quandang , 

 Lindl.) growing in a tall leopard-wood ; nest 30 feet up. Another in 

 top part of a leopard-wood, 21 feet up. Took nests and eggs of 

 Lanceolate Honey-eater. 



8fh November. — Found the nest of a Wedge-tailed Eagle in a huge 

 " carbeen " tree, or Moreton Bay ash (Eucalyptus iesselaris, F. v. M.) 

 on a sand patch. Young Eagle in nest. (Plate X.) Nest about 

 60 feet up, an immense structure. Beautiful Crimson-winged Lories 

 (Ptistes erythropteriis) perched quietly feeding on the seeds in the 

 curled pods of a wattle (Acacia longifolia, Willd.). and v.^ere not at all 

 disturbed by me walking past them. Visited No. 2 bower, under the 

 boobialla tree ; two birds playing in it. Additions to decorations 

 included a few small clippings of galvanized iron, which probably 

 were collected about the new house at the station homestead. This 

 boobialla was in fruit, and the Bower-Birds now and then hopped 

 up from their bower and began to feed. In a dried-up bog-hole (or 

 warrambool) beside this bower there were some dead fresh-water 

 shells (PJiysal, and a few fresh-water crabs closelv resembling the 



