NOTES AND QUEBIES. 141 



fortunate enough to find their eggs, nor could I spare the time to hunt for 

 them. The Campephaga disappeared in July ; they were exceedingly shy. 

 The White-winged Superb Warbler (Malurus leucopterus) was abundant 

 this year, and I secured specimens of the Graceful Superb Warbler [M. 

 elegans), but they were rare. 



On June 10th a curious and, to a flock-owner, startling circumstance 

 occurred. One of the natives brought me a live Rabbit, to know what the 

 strange animal could be. Rabbits are now over the western bush border in 

 numbers in the far south-east ; but that is some nine hundred miles distant, 

 and it is strange if they have crossed the continent from east to west with- 

 out being observed east of here. I went to where the Rabbit was caught, 

 and some distance away found a shallow burrow with numerous recent 

 tracks and beaten roads, with heaps of dung radiating from it. We dug it 

 out, but it was empty, and since then have seen no further sign of this 

 pest. There have been numerous wrecks on the dangerous reefs here 

 both before and after the country was opened out, but the last wreck was 

 fifteen years since, and if Rabbits have been here since then it is extra- 

 ordinary if the numerous natives never noticed them. Altogether it is 

 a very puzzling affair, but it seems most probable the single specimen 

 secured, which caused much alarm and correspondence, came from some 

 vessel. Practically no visitors call here, so it could not have been turned 

 down by a passing traveller on the road. Towards the end of June I went to 

 look at some wonderful trees of which the natives informed me in a patch of 

 unexplored country. We found them in a small basin of good soil sur- 

 rounded by bad ranges. They were few in number, but remarkably inter- 

 esting, being a species of palm tree about forty feet high. I am informed 

 they are the cabbage-tree palm, which only grows in one other part of this 

 colony, so far as is known. I shot on this trip a Delicate Owl (Strix 

 delicatulus), and a Boobook Owl (Spiloglaux boobook). The former seemed 

 to have fed mostly on beetles. I noted and shot a Collared Parrakeet 

 (Platycercus semitorquatus) ; Rust-coloured Bronze wing Pigeons (Lophophaps 

 ferruginea) in some numbers. Also secured a beautiful clutch of three 

 Osprey's eggs. The Black Honey-Eater [Myzomela nigra) and Red- 

 capped Robin (Petroeca goodenovii) were not uncommon. Gould thought 

 the latter was only found in the interior. I have several times shot it 

 close to the beach. Delicate and Boobook Owls were often seen in June 

 and July. 



July 15th, I secured specimens of Red-backed Kingfishers (Todi- 

 rhamphus pyrrhopygias) and Pallid Cuckoo [Cacomantis pallidus), and two 

 Jardine's Harriers (Circus jar dinii). I had long tried to identify a fine 

 slate-coloured Hawk that is fairly plentiful here in good (i.e. wet) seasons, 

 but extremely shy. This year 1 have proved beyond doubt it is that 



