The Queensland Naturalist. 
April, 1 922 
heading of M alums coronatus (one of Elsey ’s discoveries), 
and his name lives with the Elsey Creek and Elsey Station, 
the latter the Northern Territory property made famous 
by Mrs. Gunn in the delightful book, We of the Never- 
Never. 
Curiously enough, extensive collecting of new birds 
in what is now the State of Queensland ended with 
Separation from New South Wales; new birds have been 
taken since Elsey ’s day, of course, but good species were 
no longer to be found in the same numbers; certainly, 
more than 80 per cent, of Queensland’s birds had been 
“christened” by the year 1860. 
Passing by the expedition of Burke and Wills (1860- 
61) and one or two others of geographical but not 
ornithological importance, we come to the plucky travels 
of the brothers Jardine. In 1863 the Imperial Government 
had accepted a recommendation by Sir George Bowen, 
first Governor of Queensland, for the establishment of a 
settlement at Cape York, and Mr. William Jardine, police 
magistrate at Rockhampton, was placed in charge. Jardine 
senior went north by water, and his two sons, Frank and 
Alexander, went overland with stock, starting from the 
famous Gracemere Station in May, 1864. The Narrative of 
that meritorious and successful expedition* has many 
valuable notes upon birds, and there are further important 
observations, particularly upon migration, in the Appendix, 
contained in letters from Jardine senior to Sir George 
Bowen and the Colonial Secretary of the day. One 
observation that should be verified is Jardine ’s statement 
that the young of the Jungle Fowl (Megapode) “ return 
and roost in the mounds at night.” 
In years immediately succeeding Jardine took many 
new birds, which Were sent to Gould through Charles 
Coxen. 
From this period onwards all references to Cape Y'ork 
carry with them the name of Jardine, which illustrious 
family offered hospitality to many notable explorers and 
naturalists. Captain (afterwards Admiral) John Moresby 
was there with TI.M.S. Basilisk on several occasions in the 
early seventies; it was upon these cruises that Port Moresby 
(New Guinea) and Mourilyan Harbour (named after 
Lieut. Mourilyan, of Moresby’s staff) were discovered. 
Lamentably enough, however, the Basilisk carried no 
* “ Narrative of an Overland Expedition from Rockhampton to 
Capo York, ” compiled from Journals of the Jardine Brothers, and 
edited by Frederick J. Byerley; Brisbane, 1878. 
