Vol. VIII. 



1909 



1 Jackson, In the Barron River Valley, N.Q. 259 



obtained from a scrub tree, which, after much difficulty I 

 traced by the black seeds. The seeds, however, were found only 

 under the singing perches in their play-grounds. 



The Stalker Fig-Bird {^SpliecotJieres stalkcri) we found plenti- 

 ful in this district, and to-day took our first clutch of their eggs. 

 The nest was placed in the topmost branches of a bloodwood 

 (^Eucalyptus corynibosa) in Ziginbine Pocket, not far from the 

 camp, and contained four eggs.* The eggs closely resemble 

 those of the other two Fig-Birds, and likewise the nest. ( Vide 

 illustration.) 



I found a number of nests of Pigeons to-day, some new, and 

 noticed, amongst other things, a regular migration of large and 

 beautiful butterflies, which passed over the camp towards the 

 south-east. It was intensely hot, and to make it hotter the 

 Fates arranged that we should have a turn at fire-drill ; a 

 mischievous spark caught in the thatched roof of our galley, 

 and before we were quite aware of it our kitchen no longer 

 existed. It was only our haste that saved the camp. I noticed 

 that the Coucals i^Centropus phasiaiins) were very plentiful in the 

 long grass fringing the Barron River, and I was informed to-day 

 that the Cassowary is by no means uncommon in the wild 

 scrubs at the foot-hills of the Tinaroo Range, about 5 miles 

 from here. 



I put in some hours to-day (9th November) across the river, 

 behind the camp, watching a pair of Victoria Rifle-Birds, but 

 could not locate their nest. I also watched again at their 

 grounds the pair of Tooth-bills which I recently spent a day at 

 watching with the field-glasses, but had no luck. I felt sure 

 that this pair frequenting the back of the camp was building not 

 far away, and I resolved to keep a close watch on their move- 

 ments, with the valuable help of Mr. Frizelle. Fire yesterday 

 and flood to-day ! A fearful storm visited us, and, but for the 

 fact that I was at the camp, our entire outfit would have been 

 swept into the river. As it was, we had quite enough damage 

 done. The " Storm-Birds " or Channelbill Cuckoos were feed- 

 ing in the big fig-trees for hours, and kept up an incessant, loud 

 chorus of most unmusical cries. The storm also brought a 

 perfect invasion of scrub-snails — big fellows, too ; they would 

 have gladdened the heart of a Parisian. Helix pacJiystyla and 

 Helix semicastanea were the main features of the shell-backed 

 army, which crawled over bunks, table, food, and even our 

 clothes. Another result of the heavy rain would, of course, be 

 the building of the big mound nests of the Scrub-Fowl {Mega- 

 podius duperyeyi), as they generally choose the time when the 

 debris and vegetable matter of which they make their mounds is 

 wet, so that the heat of fermentation will aid the process of 

 hatching out the covered eggs. They were present in force, and 



* Described on p. 283. 



