122 
The Queensland Naturalist August, 1938 
some unfortunate flying insect. The Leaden Flycatcher, 
with quivering wings and tail, can be heard grating 
away up above in the loftiest tree-tops, occasionally 
interspersing with a beautifully soft whistling note, 
■“ Pretty! Pretty! Pretty!” The Spectacled Flycatcher 
is rare and of a more retiring disposition. With the 
approach of warmer weather these charming creatures 
leave us, with the exception of the Leaden Flycatcher 
who sometimes stays for the summer, to visit us again 
on their return journey in autumn. Reluctant as we are 
to lose them during the colder months, we are just as 
anxious to renew the acquaintance of our winter visitors. 
Appropriately named Jacky Winter, though not strictly 
a migratory bird, he is more plentiful in the city and 
suburbs during the winter months, as he sits on a con- 
venient post or stump swinging his white tail feathers, 
suddenly making a dive to capture some passing insect 
to return to his post and sing his charming song just to 
show how pleased he is with himself. Also the fussy 
Grey Fantail, with his tinny song and aerial acrobatics, 
as he takes over the duties of his departing Rufous 
relative. One of the most fascinating feathered creatures 
to visit the reserve is the Rose Robin who, with the Grey 
Fantail, leaves with the approach of the springtime 
migrants, though Jacky Winter, if conditions are con- 
genial, will sometimes stay and build his tiny nest and 
rear a family. 
Among other migrants is included that beautiful 
creature with the bad reputation, the Rainbow Bird, or 
Bee-Eater. Also somewhat of a nuisance to the apiarist 
is the Dusky Wood Swallow, a creature whose move- 
ments are hard to follow, but who is generally seen in 
large flocks during the winter months. This bird is one 
of the most graceful of flyers, and aside from his bee- 
eating proclivities is a valuable destroyer of noxious 
insects. 
A spring visitor who is most erratic in his move- 
ments is that delightful canary-like songster, the White- 
winged Triller. Some seasons there will be dozens of 
them all over the place; other times you only see odd 
pairs. More reliable is his relative, the Cicada Bird, 
who visits us in the summer months when the Cicadas 
are most active. Besides devouring numbers of these 
insects, he mimics them so closely that his note is only 
known to the experienced ear. He, like many other 
birds, has a sweeter note that he utters occasionally, 
though it is not generally known. Closely, associated 
with this bird is the pugnacious and attractive Drongo 
