THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



305 



Brammo Bay Beach, Dunk Island. A Flame Tree in foreground, whilst in the distance 



is seen the Queensland mainland. 



This beach was Mr. Banfield's favourite promenade. 



[Photo. — C. Barrett. 



charmed me more than a honey-eater, 

 which came every day to feed upon 

 a bunch of over-ripe bananas hanging 

 in a shed. From its favorite perch, 

 in a tree nearby, it would fly straight 

 to the pendant fruit, provided solely 

 for its benefit. A few quick pecks, and 

 back to the bough ; and thus many 

 times, until hunger was appeased, or 

 some sudden fancy took the bird away 

 to the jungle creek. " Jacky," if I 

 remember aright, was the name of this 

 feathered pensioner. 



The sunbirds {Cinnyris frenata) were 

 not nesting when I stayed at Dunk 

 Island, but they foraged about the 

 bungalow, and sol had the rare pleasure 

 of seeing Australia's " humming birds " 

 at their best. They are beautiful 

 small beings, active and graceful as 

 Oberon's people, but rather assertive 

 than gentle, in regard to their " place 

 in the sun." I never tired of watching 

 them flash from flower to flower, in the 



sunshine, or visit the cool verandah, 

 where, in some seasons, they select a 

 building site. " The Beachcomber " 

 has described their aerial f roUcs when the 

 flame tree's flowers are due ; how they 

 gather, six or more, in a circle, and 

 " with uplifted heads directed towards 

 a common centre," utter their twittery 

 song notes in unison. 



THE DRONGO AND OTHERS. 



Trees in the neighborhood of the bun- 

 galow were frequented by the curious 

 di-ongo-slmke {Chihea bradeata), the 

 " bully, swaggerer, swashbuckler," of 

 a biography in Confessions of a Beach- 

 comber. He is a permanent resident, 

 and his actions inchcate that he 

 regards himself as, at least, one of 

 the lords of the isle. Though a bully, 

 and " boastful," he is no coward, for 

 bigger and stronger birds go in fear 

 of the drongo. I walked right beneath 

 a fish-tailed, scolding " king-crow." 



