QO Jackson, Haunts of the Spotted Bower-Bird. [ist^'olt 



small rock-crabs on our sea-coast. They were dead and well bleached, 

 and from description somewhat resemble a land species known as 

 Geotelphusa leichhardti. Mr. A. R. M'Culloch, of the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney, informs me that they are very rare, and may yet 

 turn out to be new. The back or top portion of one of these crabs 

 1 found in one of the Bower-Birds' play-grounds. Saw one of the 

 Bower-Birds carry a dry. open pod of a needle-wood from this bower 

 (No. 2) and throw it away. It was evidently tidying up house. Very 

 hot ; birds all going with bills agape. Found old nest of Bower-Bird 

 in a green cypress pine, 18 feet up ; a nest of Bicheno Finch was built 

 on top of it. Found nest of Frogmouth {Podargus strigoides) in a 

 coolibah ; parent was sitting on a young one. Developed and washed 

 more photo, plates to-night, and retired after midnight. The heat 

 in the " dark room " (of blankets) was simply fearful. Water in 

 clay tank beside camp is getting very low and dirty Many sheep 

 drink from it daily. 



C)th November. — Up at 4.30 a.m. and into the bush before the flies 

 got bad. Later it was very hot, and the Barcoo flies furnished the 

 usual pest; Noticed in front of camp to-day that when a Bower- 

 Bird displays its beautiful lilac nape the bird sometimes opens and 

 closes its wings rapidly, also moves its head up and down as it 

 approaches its mate. Mr. Bruce Doyle advised me to shift camp if 

 the water in the clay tank got much worse. My camp being central 

 to my work, I shall not move if I can avoid it. I walked as far as 

 the Moonie River, which was chiefly a succession of dirty water-holes. 

 Here I saw Laughing Jackasses, Choughs, Dollar-Birds, Wood-Ducks 

 (Chenonetta juhata), Bee-eaters, Blue-faced Honey-eaters, Yellow- 

 throated Friar-Birds, White Cockatoos, &c. The river gums grow 

 to a great size. Procured a Partridge Bronze-wing Pigeon (Geophaps 

 scripta), a rare bird here. Noticed that the ripe bumble fruit has a 

 flavour somewhat like the paw paw apple of Queensland. Found a 

 tree {Hakea fraseri, R. Br.) growing with long round and wire-like 

 stems or needle leaves without joints, some measuring over 15 inches. 

 The Bower-Birds sometimes iise a few of these wire-like leaves in the 

 walls of their bowers. The tree was 20 feet high, and is the only 

 one I have seen during my many miles of tramping about here. The 

 long leaves or needles hang like the foliage of the weeping willow. 

 The tree belongs to the PvoteacecB . 



10th November. — Up at 4.15 a.m. Bower-Birds calling and 

 mimicking in front of the tent even at this early hour. Fruit starting 

 to ripen on the native lime trees (Atalantia glauca, Hook.) ; it is 

 delicious, and makes a splendid cooling drink. The White-browed 

 Babblers {Pomatostomus superciliosus) frequently build their nests in 

 these trees. Intense dry heat has cracked and badly warped my 

 whole-plate camera and dark slides, the latter being almost useless. 

 Developed more plates to-night, and retired after midnight, when a 

 Black-and-White Fantail was calling in the tree over the tent. 



\ith November. ~\Jp at daylight. Air thick with smoke from fire^ 

 everywhere. Temperature in shade at i p.m. was 114 degrees, con- 

 sequently birds all silent. Visited No. S bower, some miles south-east 

 of camp, and found two birds there. Then walked 5 miles and 

 visited No. 4 bower, but no birds present. In the passage-way were 

 several freshly-plucked berries of the Emu tree (EremopJiila longi- 

 folia, F. V. M.) " Willie willies " again. 



