12 The Queensland Naturalist October, 1931. 
branch high up and cpiite unprotected by any foliage. Last 
year, after sitting for some time, the birds suddenly dis- 
appeared, and 1 believe the kookaburras were responsible 
for taking the eggs, as they could be so easily seen in that 
exposed position. 
The Black-faced Flycatcher (. Monarcha melanopsis) I 
saw on September 15th, but it only stayed an hour or two. 
Le Soeuf says they nest in thick scrub and round here it 
is mainly eucalypt forest country. This is the first time 
I have seen the bird, and I would like to know whether 
anyone else has seen it near Brisbane. The male is a beau- 
tiful bird with a plain grey back, wings and tail, black 
throat and a rich rufous breast. The ring of black feathers 
round the eye makes it look very large. 
The Varied Triller ( Lalage leucomela) 1 saw first on 
31st July among the thick Leptospermum near the creek, 
the male bird only. A week or two later I saw them both. 
Last year they nested here in October. 
The Sacred Kingfishers (. Halcyon sand us) came back 
on September 22nd (last year September 12th), and started 
to make their hole in a white ant’s nest on the 24th. They 
had their nesting hole in the same place last year, and some 
months ago I noticed that the white ants had filled in the 
bole and put a thick layer of fresh material all round it, 
and every other kingfisher hole I observed was filled in and 
covered over in the same way — all ready for the birds again. 
There are sometimes two holes in the same lump, one of 
which seems to be used as a feeding hole, as I have often 
seen the birds dash into the smaller hole, afterwards 
cleaning their bills, which they do not do when making the 
nesting hole. 
This pair of Sacred Kingfishers had only worked ten- 
tatively at their hole for a few days when they were chased 
away by a pair of Forest Kingfishers ( Halcyon macleayi ), 
which took possession of the hole and have now completed 
it. 
I have recorded some calls of the Sacred Kingfisher as 
follows : — 
Call note: “Pee-pee-pee-pee” four or five times, each 
note separate and distinct, and falling a little at the end. 
Warning call: “Chee-ah! Chee-ah ! Chee-ah! loud 
and shrill and harsh, falling a little at the end. 
Low call note to young: “Purr-ew-e, purr-ew-e,” soft 
and purring, the last note short and slightly higher. 
Food call of young birds: A wheezing sound, rather 
like the twanging of a wire or wires, with a long vibration 
it is usually a double note, the second one lower. When 
the young first leave the nest, they continue to make this 
