32 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
Oct.. 1921 
the largest black snake I ever saw, and on another day 
rode my horse over two snakes, a black and a brown, before 
I was able to pull up, luckily without mishap. 
Of other birds, the Scrub Turkey (Megapode) is 
•common in the scrubs, where it builds its huge mounds of 
leaves, &c., in which to deposit its eggs to incubate. The 
Turkey is very fond of the sugar-cane in neighbouring 
farms, to the disgust of the owners. The birds peck out the 
whole of a section between two joints in the cane, with the 
result that the rest of the stem dies. Many, of course, get 
shot for the table; but this Turkey is one of the wariest 
birds known, and unless the hunter has a good dog is hard 
to get. 
The borders of scrubs and creeks abound in many other 
species of birds, Honey and Caterpillar-eaters, Kingfishers, 
Doves, &c. In about twenty minutes once on the Proserpine 
River, about 100 yards from the* Hospital, I counted fully 
twenty species. The Shining or Metallic Starling is common 
on the Barron River. It is peculiar for living in colonies, 
and building quite a number of suspended domed nests in 
the one tree. It is a pretty bird with forked tail and glossy 
plumage, and usually Hies to and fro in Hocks with a flight 
somewhat similar to a Martin. 1 believe it migrates to New 
Guinea. 
Crows are very common, and accompanying one Hock at 
Proserpine was a Corella (cockatoo), gone wild from 
captivity. It could 4k caw almost as well as any of the 
Crows, and was often teased by its companions, though it 
appeared well able to hold its own. 
0 — 
LAND SHELLS OF THE QUEENSLAND NATIONAL 
PARK. 
By John Shirley, D.Sc., P.M.S., Corresponding Member, 
Royal Society of Tasmania. 
The gradual opening up of our great National Park 
has led to visits by naturalists anxious to study the rich 
stores of plants and insects, and to observe the habits of the 
birds in localities where many of the smaller species can 
build and rear their young in security. Several of these 
collectors have incidentally obtained specimens of land 
shells, while seeking for other forms of life. 
Mr. S. W. Jackson, R.A.O.U., visited Roberts Plateau 
In September, 1919, and again in the same month of 1920, 
