Vol. Xiv.i ljj Souek, North Queensland Birds. t6'> 



'Q'S J . _ 



of night fell. They kept in the open timbered conntry, where 

 the ground was comparatively free from short scrub. Pheasant 

 Coucals {Centropiis phasianus) were very plentiful. They were 

 frequently heard during the day, and often I disturbed them 

 from the path that led to the beach from the house. Edible-nest 

 Swiftlets {CoUocalia csculenta) were numerous, especially over 

 the cleared ground, where there were fruit and flowers. The 

 birds were just starting to build in the caves. We frequently 

 heard the beautiful clear note of the Brown Shrike-Thrush 

 {Colluncincla hrunnea), which kept in the scrub. 



Mr. Banfield once saw a small bat fly into the web of the large 

 "fisherman" spider {Nephila fuscipes), and before he was able 

 to release it the spider had killed the bat. These spiders capture 

 small birds, and, evidently, just as easily kill small bats. 



After seven dehghtful days had passed the s.s. Moiirilyan hove 

 in sight at II o'clock on Wednesday morning, loth September. 

 Mr. Banfield took me out in his motor launch to meet her. I 

 clambered on deck by the ladder let down for me, and bade a 

 regretful farewell to one of the most beautiful and interesting 

 islands that I have ever had the pleasure of visiting, and to my 

 kind and genial hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Banfield. On Sunday the 

 steamer called in at Mackay, and on Monday morning Port Alma 

 was reached. This is a deep, land-locked harbour, which has 

 only lately been utilized, and is only a short distance from Rock- 

 hampton by train. I noticed here eight White-headed Sea-Eagles 

 {Haliastur leucosternus) resting on the mangroves at the water's 

 edge, and most of them had their wings drooping. I also 

 noted four Austrahan Crows {Corvus coronoides), which amused 

 themselves by working their way up, branch by branch, until 

 they got close to a Sea-Eagle, when they gave it a push, which 

 made it lose its balance and fly off to rest elsewhere. This was 

 done many times, and I came to the conclusion that the Crows 

 wanted the Hawks to start catching crabs, as this is their pnn- 

 cipal food, and the wharf is littered with hundreds of crab-shells. 

 But the tide was not far enough out, and the Sea-Eagles would not 

 take the hint. When the Sea-Eagles do catch crabs they 

 occasionally drop one, and those which fall the Crows consider 

 their perquisite. The Crows also hke to bully the Sea-Eagles 

 to try to make them drop crabs, or snatch the prey away when 

 the larger birds alight on the pier to eat it. A passenger on the 

 steamer informed me that, not .far from here, he fired with a 

 Winchester rifle at a Pelican {Pelecanits conspicillatus) that was 

 swimming towards the land. As it did not stop, except to try 

 to fly a stroke at the first shot, he fired five times more, all 

 apparently without effect ; but as the bird landed he shot it dead 

 through the head. On skinning it he found that his five bullets 

 had all gone clean through the Pelican, which had managed to 

 swim 30 yards. 



We arrived at Brisbane at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, and left next 

 day for Sydney. The weather was very boisterous, and there- 



