February, 1937 The Queensland Naturalist 
33 
the average rainfall (also that within the last three 
months thirteen inches of rain has fallen), the water has 
disappeared, and probably most of the birds, for during 
the two and a half hours spent wandering around in this 
scrub we saw no birds, and only noticed the cooing of a 
single bronze-wing pigeon, yet we were compensated for 
this in a way by disturbing a number of scrub turkeys 
from a half-built mound. This mound, contrary to their 
usual custom of building on the hills when the under- 
growth is dense, was on a rather open flat in the midst 
of the scrub. For many years these birds were excep- 
tionally rare, but during the last few years they are 
again common. The Wonga pigeon has, however, become 
scarce to what it was a few years ago. 
A feature of interest is the numerous trees of all 
sizes of gum -topped Ironbark ( Eucalyptus decorticans) 
found growing up to 100 feet high or more from the mar- 
gin to well within the scrub. There is a marked contrast 
in the differences between this and the Red Ironbark, 
which keeps to the open forest ranges and to the unprac- 
tised eye appears as sound as the gum-top Ironbark, yet 
fully 95 per cent, of the Red Ironbarks, i.e., trees over a 
foot or so in diameter, have pipes, and probably in some 
parts of the bole, a white ant’s nest. On the other hand, 
aged trees of the Gum-topped Ironbark are invariably 
sound, and are much sought by timber-getters. As a 
rule, the leaves of the Gum-topped Ironbark sapling or 
juvenile are smaller than those of the adult; on the 
other hand, the Red Ironbark has much larger leaves in 
the juvenile than in the adult tree. There is also a dif- 
ference in the bark and wood, apart from the specific 
difference in the flowers and; fruit. 
The following list is the names of those trees and 
shrubs found growing in or on the outksirts of the rain 
forest : — 
Anonaceae. Fitzalania hetropetala—a small shrub- 
Jike tree up to 8 feet high. Common. 
Capparidaceae . Capparis nobilis — a large shrub or 
small tree, rather neat in appearance ; not common. 
Capparis sarmentosa— a straggling shrub; rare. 
Flacourtiaceae Scolopia Brownii — farily common 
where the creek enters the rain forest. Up to 10 feet 
high. 
Pittosporaceae. Pittosporum revolutum — shrubby 
form; rather scattered. 
Rutaceae. Zieria Smithii- — a very common shrub on 
the edge of the rain forest. 4 feet high. Acronychia laevis 
—common on low parts near the creek. Citrus australis 
trees up to 30 feet high and 1 foot in, diameter are found 
