16 MATHEWS — Birds of the Cairns District, Queensland. 



On ,23rd June, 1884, we started at 5.45 a.m. to hunt for 

 Cassowaries, but saw none, though we could clearly see where 

 they had been that morning. 



On 19th August, 1884, two small Cassowaries, about the 

 size of a Bantam, were caught. The old bird was seen with 

 five chicks. The birds caught had the bill yellow; forehead 

 and top of head to over the eyes hard and of a bluish horn- 

 colour, becoming tinged with green on the edge and of a pink 

 colour at the top; irides light slate, pupils black. The general 

 colour of the birds was dirty white; head light rufous; upper 

 surface striped, a broad brownish-black band down the centre 

 of the back about an inch wide; three stripes on each side, the 

 lowest one of which runs down the thighs. These stripes are 

 about half an inch wide; the under surface dirty white, tinged 

 with rufous and unmarked; the legs and toes light yellow, the 

 claws white. The caruncles on the throat were clearly de- 

 veloped. 



On Saturday, the 18th of October, two eggs were obtained, 

 but on the 28th of August egg shells were found, out of which 

 the young had just emerged. No nest was made. These 

 birds are by no means rare, but very shy. The breeding 

 season is from June to October. 



5. Megapodius duperreyi assimilis. Eastern Scrub-Fowl. 



Nos. 148 — Female — 167. — Gordan's Camp, Cairns, October 



12, 1884. 

 Length, 17 inches. Bill, dark brown; legs and feet 

 greenish yellow, tinted with orange. 



These birds are very numerous in some places. 



6. Alectura lathami robinsoni. Allied Brush-Turkey. 



No. 146— Female.— Barron Eiver, July 19, 1884. 



No. 147 — Male. — Gordan's Camp, Cairns, October 12, 188 ! . 



Length 27 inches. Head livid red, with ( a ring round the 

 lower part of the neck light orange; feet dusky yellow, tinted 

 with green. 



Rather plentiful, but difficult to obtain without a good 

 dog. On June 23 a nest was observed and the eggs were taken 

 by the blacks. 



12. Ptilixopus regina regina. Red-crowned Fruit-Pigeon. 

 No. 143— Male.— Cairns, June 17, 1884. 

 Length 9.25 inches. Not common. 



