2o6 Mellor, Birds of the Blackalls. [isf'Tec. 



siding, and the train sent on its way again, in less time than one 

 can relate it, and we were left cold and shivering in a strange land ; 

 but Mr. G. E. M 'Donald was on the platform to meet us, and 

 we were soon tramping along the line, loaded with our small 

 luggage, and, after covering a mile, we arrived at his hospitable 

 home and selection, " Levenholme," where Mrs. M'Donald had 

 thoughtfully prepared us a cup of hot tea and "cookies" 

 before we retired to cosy beds. Cooroy, from what can be 

 seen, will soon be the headquarters of a profitable and rising 

 dairying industry, as the land is being cleared and sown with 

 grass, upon which the cattle thrive exceedingly well. The only 

 regret one has is the thought that all the beautiful timber 

 should be cut down and burned, which otherwise might be used 

 for commercial purposes — fine forest monarchs some 300 feet high 

 going down before the selector's axe to produce the pastoral land. 



Next morning we were up betimes and making our acquaint- 

 ance with the birds, the hearty voices of the Laughing Jackasses 

 {Dacelo gigas) greeting us from the dry trees of the " clearing " 

 near, where, high up, in a large hollow, they were seeking their 

 nesting quarters. The pretty Forest Kingfisher {Halcyon- mac- 

 lea vi) also had its home in a hole burrowed out of a large white 

 ants' nest, many of which hung on the trees scores of feet from 

 the ground. The nests of these birds, therefore, are extremely 

 hard to reach, and are generally safe, except from the ravages of 

 the iguana. Many of the reptiles were seen from time to time 

 climbing up the high trees in search of the eggs and young birds 

 for food. The tree-snakes are also the enemies of the smaller 

 kinds of birds, the snakes being able to climb and descend the 

 trees with the greatest of ease. Whenever one is on his errand 

 the birds make a great noise, and attack it with all their might. 

 The Laughing Jackass, with its powerful beak, is generally able 

 to make an effectual onslaught, but the smaller birds only worry 

 feebly, and endeavour to irritate the snake or iguana. 



Our heavier luggage having arrived, thanks to the generous 

 assistance of Mr. J . L. Boden, the local storekeeper, we were able 

 to get into our old clothes, and ready for the thick scrub, where 

 tangled masses of lawyer vines made progress in places impossible, 

 and beneath, in the dark thickets, millions of land-leeches were 

 ever ready to attack intruders, with bloodthirsty intent. Sores 

 thus produced itch unbearably even weeks after. Another pest 

 in these regions is a tick, which thrusts its barbed proboscis into 

 one's flesh. Some force is needed to induce the insect to let go its 

 hold. Sometimes its head will be left behind, and so produce a 

 nasty fester. These insects often prove fatal to dogs, and even 

 calves and foals fall victims to the ravages of this little pest. 



Our general time for bird study was first thing in the morning, 

 when the surrounding scrub seemed full of melodious notes. 

 The Rifle-Bird {Piilorhis paradisea) was present, but not plentiful. 

 Its presence is generally made known by the peculiar note that 

 the male bird utters, being something between a harsh screech 



