282 Jackson, In the Barron River Valley, N.Q. [,^, j„„g 



receiving his reward a cavernous smile broke out upon his face. 

 On blowing the egg of its contents I discovered that incubation 

 was about five days old, so this proves to us that they sometimes 

 lay only one egg, and such may be the case with the younger 

 birds. Why do so many of our Fruit-Pigeons lay only one egg ? 

 Because, I think, the nest is such an open and well-ventilated 

 structure of sticks that if they laid more they would only become 

 addled ; the same applies to the three Tooth-bills' nests which 

 we found containing only one young bird each, instead of two. 

 We found to-day that the play-ground (which I had already 

 photographed) behind the camp {vide Plate XXIII.) contained 

 several enormous leaves, comprising those of two species of 

 scrub plants. I could hardly have believed it possible that 

 these Tooth-bills could remove and use such large and awkward 

 leaves. One variety was of a round form, velvety, and be- 

 longed to a common scrub-vine, and a specimen of it measured 

 10^ inches by 9 inches. The other large leaves belonged to 

 the candle-nut tree, which is very plentiful in the scrubs. A 

 sample measured 15 inches by 13^ inches, being as large as a 

 good-sized pumpkin leaf This was the only play-ground which 

 we noticed daily adorned with fresh leaves during the height of 

 the breeding season. The owner of this bower was the male 

 bird belonging to the nest (No. i) which we robbed of two eggs 

 on 8th December.* 



Took more photographs on the 28th December. On rising 

 early to-day (29th) we set to work packing everything for our 

 start to Tolga. We felt satisfied with the result of the work done 

 while camped at this, to us, ever memorable and now historic spot, 

 the site of which is denoted by a white cross which I have placed 

 on the right-hand side of the accompanying photograph (Plate 

 XXXVII.) In the afternoon we have all our numerous boxes, 

 bags, and bundles carried through the Barron River and stacked 

 upon the opposite bank. Before long everything is placed in a 

 farmer's four-wheeled waggon, and off we start for Tolga, where 

 we remain a few days, repacking, and fixing up various matters 

 appertaining to the camp. After wishing good-bye to our many 

 new acquaintances, we take train to Cairns on 5th January, 

 1909 ; here my friend Mr. Frizelle leaves me, turning south to 

 Townsville, while on the 7th January I embark on the s.s. 

 Wyandra for Cooktown. Leaving Cooktown on the night of the 

 8th January, the Wyandra steams south, touching at Cairns, 

 Townsville, Bowen, Brisbane, &c., on the Queensland coast. 

 Finally, after a long and rather pleasant passage, I safely land 

 in Sydney on the morning of the i8th January, 1909. 



* Since my return to Sydney I received a letter from Mr. Frizelle, who is again in 

 the Tinaroo scrubs. Under date of 30th April, 1909, he writes : — "The Tooth-bills 

 have no playgrounds now, but in every case the young birds are being fed yet, so 

 that may account for it." — S.W.J. 



