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above 2,600 feet. The nests on tlie mountain were much smaller than 
those on the level country, by reason of the difficulty of collecting 
dead leaves and twigs. In the scrubs of the Barron there are mega- 
pode nests over 6 feet high and 80 or 90 feet in circumference at the 
base, the accumulation of many years. In my garden at Cambanora 
there are five large orange trees growing luxuriantly on one of these 
extraordinary mounds. The ground is scraped clean for a distance of 
twenty or thirty yards round the nests, the birds walking backwards 
and throwing the dead leaves behind them in successive stages of 4 feet 
to 5 feet. The Scrub Hen can be heard cackling at all hours of the 
night. She lays her eggs very early in the morning, and three or four 
hens utilise different parts of an old-established nest. Each hen lays~ 
from six to twelve eggs, as large as that of a tame turkey, and of a 
light drab or brown colour on the outside, which can be easily rubbed 
off, leaving the egg as white as a hen's. The Spotted Cat Bird we ' 
found up to 4,000 feet, aid the Toothbill Cat Bird, peculiar to the 
district, was never seen lower than 2,500 feet. The Dragoon Bird {Fitta 
strepitans) we found plentiful in the Mulgrave and Eussell scrubs. 
The blacks call it "Derrim-derrim," and "Tikooya." It lives chiefly on 
snails, and can be heard frequently braeking the shells on a stone. No 
other bird decomposes so rapidly after death . It will not keep fresh over 
two hours on a hot day. This is attributable chiefly to the snail diet. 
The Cassowary {Casuarius australis) is common in the scrubs of 
the Mulgrave and Eussell, and occasionally they ascend the mountain 
spurs to over 2,000 feet. A large cassowary stands over 6 feet and 
weighs up to 200 lb. We obtained five specimens, the largest weigh- 
ing 186 lb. A full-sized egg is 6 inches in length, 12 inches round the 
" equator," and 16 inches round the " poles," of a bright green colour, 
much more attractive than the egg of the emu. There is no attempt 
at a nest, the hen laying anywhere in the scrub in a sheltered spot, 
usually among very dense vegetation. She lays from three to six eggs, 
and sits on them apparently about a month. When a day or two old 
the young run at a surprising pace, and if pursued will vanish in holes 
or hollow logs, or under leaves or ferns, with astonishing celerity. 
Usually they are in charge of the male bird. Externally there is no 
difference whatever in the appearance of male and female. The largest 
birds I have shot were all females. Both have the wattles on the 
neck, but one very large female, shot by me on the Barron and now ' 
set up in the Museum, had no trace of wattles ; the first known 
specimen destitute of that adornment. A special chapter is required 
to properly describe the habits and appearance of this magnificent 
bird. Among the parrot species found on the mountain were Pennant's 
Parralieet, the King Lory, Blue Mountain, Macleay's, and Scaly- 
breasted Lorrikeets. The pigeons included Swainson's Emit Pigeon, 
the Topknot Elock Pigeon, Magnificent Emit Pigeon, White-headed 
Pigeon, Long-bill Green Pigeon, Pheasant-tail Pigeon, and the Nut- 
meg or Torres Straits Pigeon (from October to April). The Wonga 
is unknown in the district. Among the cockatoos were the common 
White Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Bank's Black Cockatoo, and the 
Great-billed Black Cockatoo, all three plentiful on Barnard's Spur up 
to 1,700 feet. The beautiful Bee-eater {Merops ornatus) was seen up 
to 4,000 feet. This is the only bee-eater in Australia. The Black 
Crow Shrike {Cmcticm ([uoyi) was shot at 3,000 feet. This bird is 
found in the Cape Tork Peninsula and New Guinea. We also shot 
