August, 1938 
The Queensland Naturalist 
119 
vigorously throughout the winter months, and is heard at 
his best in the courting season, early spring. Their 
relative, the Northern Yellow Robin, is one of the first 
birds we learn to associate with Mt. Coot-tha ; in fact, we 
instinctively look for him whenever we approach that area, 
and we are seldom, if ever, disappointed. Like his south- 
ern representative, he heralds in the dawn with his soft 
piping note, although what time he commences I am un- 
able to say — I have never been up early enough to beat 
him. 
Birds of the tree trunks are the White-headed Sitella 
and Brown and White-throated Tree Creepers. The 
Sitellas go in small parties and work in all directions, in- 
variably head down. The Tree Creepers are found in 
pairs, and ascend the tree trunks in a spiral course, and 
always manage to be on the wrong side when you try to 
get a glimpse of them. The Silvereye, with his plaintive 
note, busies himself among the Lantana and Inkberry 
{Phytolacca) . Likewise the beautiful little Mistletoe Bird 
finds much to occupy his time, for the district is heavily 
infected with Loranthus. 
Of the number of Honey-eaters to be found in the 
district, only a few are permanent residents. Chief among 
these are the acrobatic White Nape, a species inordinately 
fond of bathing, the loud-voiced Lewin, the Noisy and 
Little Friar Birds, and, of course, the Noisy Miner. 
Tn the open spaces around the reserve is found the 
Pipit, while the two representative Finches are the Chest- 
nut Breast or “Bullie,” which frequents the grass country 
and cultivated areas, and the Red-browed Finch which 
associates in large flocks and is found all over the reserve. 
Much patient stalking has been necessary to certify 
that the Australian Raven is present at Mt. Coot-tha. 
Possibly the Crow is also there, but the identification of 
these two birds is always a problem in the field, and is 
not rendered any easier by their excessive wariness. 
OCCASIONAL VISITORS 
In continued rainy weather along the creeks are to 
be seen the following species: — Black-fronted Dotterel, 
Spur- winged Plover, White and Straw-necked Ibis, Little 
Pied Cormorant, and White-faced Heron. The Black- 
fronted Dotterel is unusual, and is only seen along the 
creeks. As he is one of the migratory waders, it is 
possible that he is only breaking his migratory flight, but 
as his visits are only periodical, he is not classed as a 
regular migrant to the district. The Spur-winged Plover 
is very active and noisy in rainy weather, and can be 
