November TQ22 
The Q*»ee >*lanri Naturalist. 
ICQ 
Yellow-eared and the Fuscous, also the Silver-eye, do not 
appear elsewhere on Stradbroke, and the same may be 
said of the Rufous-breasted Thickhead (Whistler) and the 
Yellow-tailed Robin. Here also were Regent-birds, Cat- 
birds, and Satin Rower-birds. Of Fly-catchers, the Shin- 
ing, the Spectacled, and the Black-faced were well in 
evidence, as also the Rufous and White-shafted Fantails. 
(The latter I have also seen on Dunwic-h side.) The 
Orange-backed Wren was also there; but though plentiful 
on Southport side, the channel appears to have been an 
effectual barrier to the Silvery-blue Wren. Amongst 
Robins, the Large-headed and the Hooded species were 
found; the latter rare and not seen actually in the scrub. 
Another bird quite common was the Pied Caterpillar- eater ; 
also two Shrike Thrushes. the Harmonious and Buff- 
breasted — the first on the margin and the latter usually 
busily raking in the bird-nest and stag-horn ferns. 
The Fish-tail or Spangled Drongo Shrike and the 
Green Oriole are also found both here and at Dunwich. 
The Black Magpie (Currawong) I do not remember as 
being elsewhere than at the southern end, though I have 
heard that it occurs on Russell Island. This bird, though 
undoubtedly destructive amongst the fruit orchards, is of 
service amongst the insect tribes ; and, in fact, any person 
not knowing its habits and relying only on the form of the 
bill would say that it lived on insects, spiders, and probably 
small birds and their eggs. Its calls, wlmn heard amongst 
the hills and mountains, are rich and melodious, and very 
varied. There is much yet to be learnt about the voices 
of our birds, for if you have the patience to sit down under 
a tree where they are resting, and keep quiet, you will 
hear the birds talk to one another in most pleasing tones, 
and be surprised to find that they also imitate others. 
Amongst the raptorial birds inhabiting this small sec- 
tion of the island, and of which no previous mention has 
been made, was that great Owl well named the Powerful 
Owl. Its prey may have consisted of the ring-tailed 
opossum, which at that time existed on the island, for I 
found the drey (nest) in one of the tea-trees which formed 
the major part of the vegetation of the swamp in the centre 
of the scrub, though I did not see the animals. The usual 
prey of these birds, which seem to hunt in couples, con- 
sisted almost exclusively of the larger opossums and flying 
squirrels, scrub wallabies and paddy melons ; even the native 
bea- (koala) is not immune. The Owls' awfid calls at night, 
combined sometimes with the screams of their a ictims, are 
not easily forgotten. When their haunts, revealed by the 
droppings, are invaded, and you look up to find the birds 
