Vol 



iQog'^ ] Jackson, In the Barron River Valley, N.Q. 281 



uniform brown, while, on the other hand, the eggs of all the 

 other Bower-Birds of Australia are beautifully naarked. There 

 is certainly no doubt, properly speaking, that the Tooth- 

 billed Bovver-Bird should now receive its new and much more 

 appropriate title of Cat-Bird. 



To-day I found a nest (No. 7) of the Tooth-bill being built 

 in a part of the scrub at which I had been watching the birds 

 for some time past. This nest was placed at the top of a vine- 

 covered tree at an altitude of nearly 50 feet, and, as usual, it was 

 impossible to see it from the ground. When I had climbed up I 

 discovered- why these birds were cryino^ out and flying so 

 excitedly about ; some 5 feet below the nest, and out on a 

 horizontal mass of vines situated 12 feet from it, was a large 

 carpet snake {PytJion spilotcs) coiled among the leaves. I 

 visited the place again a few days later, but nothing more had 

 been done to the nest. The snake had in the meantime 

 vanished, also the birds, therefore I came to the conclusion 

 that tlie snake's visit had been the cause of the birds deserting 

 it. I forgot to mention that on the ground under one of 

 the nests which we found containing a young bird I picked up 

 a large portion of one of the cast out egg-shells, and it was also 

 of the same brown colour as our other eggs — a proof that these 

 eggs do not vary much in colour. Mr. Frizelle found a nest 

 (No. 8) to-day, after watching the birds and arduously climbing 

 trees for five days. It was placed 75 feet from the ground, and 

 contained one &^g, which was left until the 27th inst. Another 

 nest (No. 9) of these Tooth-bills was also discovered to-day, 

 situated at an altitude of 60 feet, and containing one young 

 bird. The pair of birds belonging to this nest had also been 

 watched by us for a long time, without success until to-day, 

 and then too late for eggs. This is the third nest which we 

 have found containing only one young bird, and the question 

 arises, What becomes of No. 2 ? Is it pushed out of the nest } 

 I fancy somehow that these Tooth-bills fail to hatch both eggs, 

 because their scant and openly constructed nest admits too 

 much air to the eggs, hence one of them frequently becomes 

 addled. 



Nothing special for yesterday, but to-day (27th December) 

 Mr. Frizelle and the natives revisited their nest of the Tooth- 

 bill which on Christmas Day contained only one &gg. On 

 climbing up, still only one egg was in the nest, and this was 

 taken. The egg measures 1.56 x 1.12 inches. The climb 

 was a most difficult one, the nest being placed 75 feet from 

 the ground in a dense mass of vines and foliage. The 

 native was very displeased at only one egg being in the 

 nest, as I usually rewarded him for each set of two which he 

 climbed up to for us ; however, he was compensated in this 

 instance just as if the nest had contained two eggs, and on 



