Vol. VIII. 



1909 



] Jackson, In the Barron River Valley, N.Q. 283 



I cannot close this article without referring to the kindness 

 shown to me by those with whom I came into contact ; in fact, 

 it will always remain one of my most grateful memories. In 

 addition to the courteous help and open-handed kindness 

 extended by persons who were until then perfect strangers to 

 me, I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to the Queensland 

 Government, and to those of its officials to whom I was 

 accredited. The Acting-Premier, the Hon. Andrew Henry 

 Barlow, afforded me every facility, and placed at my disposal 

 every possible assistance which would further the objects of 

 my mission of research. ^As one especial instance of this, I may 

 mention that the Commissioner of Police instructed the various 

 sub-heads of his department to render me all assistance possible, 

 and the police themselves carried out the orders of their chief 

 with hearty thoroughness, which was of the greatest value to 

 me at more than one juncture. 



Descriptions of Nests and Eggs of Five Species of Birds 

 Found in the Atherton District, North Queensland. 



By Sidney Wm. Jackson, A.O.U., Chatswood, New South 



Wales. 



(i.) Sphecotheres stalkeri, Ingram* (Stalker Fig-Bird). 



{Identification. — Taken by E. D. Frizelle and Sid. W. Jackson 

 at Tinaroo, 70 miles south-west of Cairns, 8th November, 1908. 

 Female identified.) 



Nest. — Open, cup-shaped, loosely constructed of twigs, similar to 

 that of 5. maxillaris ; was placed in a bloodwood {Eucalyptus 

 corymbosa), about 50 feet from the ground. 



Eggs. — Four ; elongated oval in shape ; surface glossy ; texture, 

 fine with slightly raised veins ; colour, pale olive-green, becoming 

 olive-brown on the larger apex, and irregularly blotched with deej) 

 red-brown and purplish-brown markings, chiefly distributed over 

 the larger end. On one specimen {d) the markings form a cap. 

 Dimensions in inches : — {a) and {b) each 1.32 x 0.93, {c) 1.28 x 0.92, 

 {d) 1. 18 x 0.88. 

 (2.) Oreocichla cuneata, De Vis (Broadbent Ground-Thrush). 



{Identification. — Taken by George Sharp, in the Evelyn scrubs, 

 Herberton Range, 2nd November, 1908. Nest inspected in situ by 

 Sid. W. Jackson.) 



Nest. — Usual large, open, cup-shaped structure, similar to that 

 of 0. lunulata ; placed on top of the remains of a dead bird-nest 

 fern adhering to a tree trunk, about 20 feet from the ground. 



Eggs. — Two ; elongated oval in shape ; surface, slightly glossy ; 

 texture, coarse, deeply pitted ; colour, pale greenish, covered with 

 dark-red and pale-red blotches and purplish markings, distributed 



* Il'is, July, 1908. Vide Eviu, viii,, p. 105. 



