106 
The Queensland Naturalist, 
Oct., 1920' 
the female, the left antenna is thrown around her, the hinged 
portion closing to keep her in position. The left one of his 
last pair of legs ends in a sickle-shaped hook; this also 
grasps the lower part of her body, while the right one, which 
is curiously modified to a pincer-like shape, is used as a 
hand to grasp the neck of the spermatophore and place it 
near the egg sac of the female. It adheres firmly by means 
of the mucus plug. She is then released, and darts off, 
adorned with this ornamental appendage. 
There is still a considerable distance and much tough 
mucus to pass before the sperms can reach their objective; 
and they are likewise in danger of being snapped up, as 
dainty sausages, by the hungry carnivora that swann in 
the water. But, as “ love laughs at locksmiths,” and 
Nature finds means to bridge great gulfs, the means have 
already been provided. Those brown granules, in the bottom 
of the sac, begin to grow, and act as if they were the land- 
lords of the place. Not only do they fill their own end of 
the sac, but they extend further, giving the tenants notice 
that they must look for another lodging. Under the 
continuous pressure the mucus gradually yields, and the 
sperms find their way into the egg-mass to fertilise it, and 
ensure future progeny. 
CHANNEL-BILL OR RAIN-BIRD. 
(Scythrops noz-'cc~ho!Iandice) . 
By R. Illidge. 
This strange bird, an aberrant form amongst the 
Cuckoos and quite the largest of our Australian species, is 
now very rare in the vicinity of Brisbane. It is a summer 
visitor, and usually makes its appearance about mid- 
September ; but where it comes from and in what direction 
I cannot say, as I only know of it locally. Halhs “ Key” 
records the habit as x to 8, which means all Australia and 
Tasmania except Western Australia, so it has a wide range. 
I infer that it comes from North to escape the very 
hot summer, and spreads down the coast to as far as 
Tasmania, where it probably only remains a very short 
time. Here in Queensland it stays quite half the year, and 
is equally at home in the scrubs and forests, usually the 
latter in the early morning. I have seen little groups of 
