THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



309 



" The Beachcomber's " Boatshed, Brammo Bay beach. In the foreground is seen the beautiful 



Umbrella Tree, one of the most remarkable trees in the world, and a " sight " 



not to be missed bv any visitor to Dunk Island. 



[Plioto. — C. Barrett. 



may not be very palatable, but they are 

 cemented with the birds' saliva (coag- 

 ulated), and in substance and general 

 appearance resemble those of the 

 '' edible nest " species, which form a 

 Chinese luxury. 



SERPENTS IN EDEN. 



A Pocket Paradise, Dunk Island has 

 been called, and, like the Garden of 

 Eden, it is not free from serpents. I 

 saw some in my jungle walks ; and when 

 strip})ing bark from a dead tree in search 

 of beetles, nearly placed my hand on a 

 venomous species. The death adder 

 (Acanthophis antarctica) is not rare, 

 and its slothful habits and obstinacy in 

 declining to move when one approaches 

 without perceiving it, make it more 

 dangerous even than our most ag- 

 gressive snake, the tiger {Notechis 

 scutatus). 



'' The Beachcomber " often walked 

 bare-footed in " snaky '" spots ; and I, 

 on one occasion, Avas constrained to 

 follov/ his example, but without en- 

 thusiasm. We had been wading on 

 the reef, and took a short cut through 

 the brush, and, as we went, my com- 

 panion cheered me Avith a story of a 

 Queensland girl's hairbreadth escape. 

 She placed her hand on a sunlit boulder 

 within six inches of a basking adder. 

 Looking down carelessly she saw the 

 reptile and went pale to the lips with 

 fear. The hand Avas lifted sAviftly 

 before the adder moved. 



TROPIC PLANT LIFE. 



With all his love for bird life and 

 creatures of the sea, Mr. Banlield found 

 time to botanise. His pleasure it was 

 to learn the names and virtues of tropic 

 trees and shrubs, and the more lowly 



