Vol. X. 

 igio 



] Macgillivrav, Along the Great Barrier Reef. 23 1 



across mounds of the Brush-Turkey {Catheturus piirpmeicollis) 

 and of the Scrub-Fowl {Megapodius tumulus). After breakfast 

 we take the cutter out through the Channel to the west, past 

 York Island, to a small rocky island where sea-birds are supposed 

 to nest. However, a pair of Oyster-catchers are the only sea- 

 birds on it. We, however, search the rocks on it, and two patches 

 of scrub, from which we flush a large number of Wood Fantails 

 and White-tailed Kingfishers {Tanysiptera sylvia). They are in 

 every bush, evidently resting on their way across to the main- 

 land. Here is also one Forest Kingfisher [Halcyon macleayi) 

 and a Winking-Owl, possibly Ninox peninsularis. We return to 

 Mr. Vidgen's house, 2 miles from Somerset, where, after a rest, 

 Mr. Vidgen's little son pilots us to see a newly-constructed bower 

 of the Fawn-breasted Bower-Bird [Chlamydodera cerviniventvis), 

 and points out the hollow stump from which he is in the habit of 

 watching the bird disporting himself in the bower. Green berries, 

 so far, are the only ornaments on the bower. The boy puts a piece 

 of red cloth near the bower, and waits in his hiding-place to 

 see what use the bird will make of it. The bird merely picks 

 it up, carries it away into the scrub, and leaves it there. We hurry 

 on to cross a creek before the tide rises, for swimming creeks 

 frequented by crocodiles is not a desirable practice ; however, it 

 is only waist high. In the adjacent mangroves we listen to the 

 loud but pleasant whistling note of the Varied Honey-eater [Ptilotis 

 versicolor), and Mr. MT^ennan points out several old nests, and one, 

 in an old Bower-Bird's nest, of the White-rumped Wood- Swallow 

 [Artamus leiicogaster). A Fig-Bird's nest in a mangrove contains 

 newly-hatched young. We also observe the nest, with two eggs, of 

 the Barred-shouldered Dove in a mangrove. We go home in the 

 dusk, following the track through the scrub, from which we flush 

 a Megapode, which flies on to a horizontal limb, where the fowl is 

 silhouetted against the sky. 



Next day we proceed in a north-westerly direction, through 

 some thick patches of scrub, along dry or running creeks, but 

 examining more particularly the open pockets. The first nesting 

 tree, a Moreton Bay ash, contains one nest of the Helmeted 

 Friar-Bird, with three eggs, and three nests of Fig-Birds — 

 one containing two eggs, the others three each. In an adjoining 

 tree another nest is being built. The nest of this species is 

 usually placed far out on a slender fork amongst the leaves, is 

 composed of fine tendrils and thin stems of climbing plants wound 

 from one side of the fork to the other to form an open-work cradle 

 about 4 inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. Several other 

 trees near contain nests of Friar-Birds and Fig-Birds, besides 

 one of a Drongo. A fine specimen of the Plumed Frogmouth 

 {Podargus papuensis), disturbed from its roosting-place on a 

 buttressed root near the ground, looks reproachfully at us with 

 its great red eyes. The plumage of this specimen has decidedly 

 a reddish tinge. We have also a very good view of three specimens 

 of the large Palm-Cockatoo {Microglossus aterrimus), perched on 



