December, 1926 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
SOME RECENT AVIAN VISITORS AT BULIMBA, 
BRISBANE RIVER. 
(By R. Illidge.) 
A few days ago we were surprised just about sun- 
down by the visit of a solitary top-knot pigeon — Lop- 
hotaemus antarticus. Whether it came for shelter during 
the night or to feed on the berries of the camphor laurel! 
in which it finally rested, we could not find out, as it 
made several heavy flops from one branch of a fig-tree 
to others in the laurel before making itself comfortable- 
We did not see it eating anything, but its double crest 
and hawk-like appearance were very noticeable even in 
the dim light. In the morning we forgot to look until 
too late, and it had apparently gone. 
This morning (14tli March) a small flock of four or 
five blue-faced honey-eaters arrived about sun-rise and 
settled in the large fig-tree overlooking the street. After 
a deal of loud chatter, probably finding we had nothing 
edible to suit their palates, they departed for breakfast' 
to some more congenial spot over Breakfast Creek way. 
Neither of these two birds has ever, to my know- 
ledge, visited this part before, and in the case of blue- 
face, a fig-tree is a most unlikely resort. The blue-faced 
honey-eater is yet uncommon in the environs of Brisbane,, 
and we have seen it on many occasions as at Hopedale, 
Albert River, and Wellington Point. The top-knot pigeon 
is becoming notably scarce; even in remote parts no such 
great flocks are now seen as once frequented the jungle 
tracks around Brisbane in its early days. 
Soon after the departure of the blue-faces, another 
visitor, a large solitary bird arrived, settling in a silkv- 
oak and being very active, and uttering no call, it could 
not be very accurately observed. I thought it might be* 
a brush-wattle bird (Acanthochcera carunculata) which 
also I have never before noted here, though Anellobia 
mellivora, a much smaller bird, has been frequently seen, 
especially when the silky-oaks are in flower. 
If the present weather conditions continue much 
longer we may expect many country visitors in the way 
of western birds rarely seen otherwise near the coast or 
even east of the Main Range, so it would be well if these- 
were carefully noted by our bird students, and particu- 
lars sent in to the Club for publication in “ Naturalist.’ r 
