Vol. VIII. 



1909 



] Jackson, In the Barron River Valley, N.Q. 277 



Mr. Frizelle undertook the climb, examining every nook and 

 corner in the foh'age as he went up, and when nearly fifty feet 

 from the ground discovered a new and hidden nest of the Tooth- 

 bill, which was nearly ready for eggs. Our excitement fairly 

 bubbled over ! The nest was somewhat larger than the others 

 of its kind already discovered, and was composed of nice fresh, 

 clean twigs, quite dry. This was nest No. 6, and it belonged to 

 a pair of birds which we had watched very closely of late, the male 

 of which used to give his evening and early morning serenade in 

 a tree over our tent. The vine or creeper which enveloped the 

 top of the tree containing the nest is known to our natives as 

 " Now-ii." The reason why we could now find the nests was 

 simply because we had lived among these shy and curious birds, 

 and had thoroughly studied their habits, watching them from 

 daylight until dark. Had another fearful storm to-day. The 

 Barron River is rising rapidly, and if it continues at the present 

 rate our camp will be swept away, unless we remove to the hills, 

 but to do that would be impossible, as we would be compelled 

 to carry all our belongings through the swiftly running waters of 

 the river. Fire-flies in hundreds still dance around the camp at 

 night. 



Was up early again this morning (15th December), and found 

 the tent and everything covered with green mould. Fancy a 

 man living in this humid and fever-stricken atmosphere ! Took 

 several more important photographs again to-day. Visited the 

 new nest of the Victoria Rifle-Bird, and found the storm had 

 greatly knocked it about. Found another of these nests to-day 

 containing a dead and decayed young bird. Developed and 

 washed negatives, retiring at 1.30 a.m. 



1 6th December. — Weather improving, and the waters of the 

 river are fortunately subsiding. The river winds round us in 

 the form of a U, therefore our camp is on a scrub-covered 

 peninsula, fringed on the point with river osiks {Casnarina). We 

 have lately taken the eggs of the Scrub-Fowl {Megapode) from 

 mounds situated in proximity to our camp. Raining again. 

 Very few Tooth-bills at their play-grounds to-day. Altogether 

 I have found and inspected to date 193 perfect play-grounds of 

 this bird. Saw many large trees in the scrub which had been 

 snapped off at the roots during the recent storms. 



17th December. — My dark servants showed me to-day a tree 

 which they call " Boo-jar-ee." It has very tough bark, which is 

 used by them for twine and net making. I used its fibres often 

 as bootlaces when working the scrubs. We visited nest No. 4 of 

 the Tooth-bill again to-day, in the crow's-foot elm-tree, about a 

 quarter of a mile from the camp, but found it empty and no 

 birds about. We hoped that the storms had not caused them 

 to abandon it ; the nest was a little tilted. It is now just a 

 week since we found it being built. Found a small dome-shaped 



