August, 1926 
The Queensland Naturalist 
89 
The past year has been noteworthy tor the yjubliea- 
tion of the last essays of the late E. -I. Banfield, edited 
by our fonner president. A. IT. Chisliolm. Mr. Banfield's 
notes on the various changes that liave taken plaee on 
Dunk Island sinee he first went to reside there are of 
the fireatest interest from tlie point of view whieh F 
have Htteni})ted to indicate. Especially noteworthy is 
his aimoiinf of llu^ eesults of the cyclone which devas- 
tated the islaiul some yeai-s ago. The immediate result 
was the levellini^ of great areas of forest and the com- 
plete disaiii)eHrance or wi])ing out of several sy>eeies of 
birds. He noticed, Iiowever, that shortly afterwards a 
thicket of shrubs aud creepers sprang u[> amongst the 
fallen vegetation, and he aiiticipated that in the slicker 
of tliis thicket scrub trees would spring up so that 
open foi'est country ^vould be (inverted into jungle. 
Unfortunately he did not live long enough to inform us 
whether this antiei])ation wns realised, but if it Avere it 
is obvious that serub-fiaMjueuting birds and other forms 
of animal life would find additional shelter, and would 
increase at tlie expense of forest types. 
Man’s oi)erations have so generally -operated ad- 
A’ersely upon the jungle types that any gain on the other 
side is of great import anee; even if it comes only in such 
drastic fasiiiou. Incidentally, it may be noted that a few 
types of scrub-bird liave been faA'Ou red by the introduc- 
tion of the jiests Avhich haA*e over-run so much of Queens- 
land. Tlie shelter provided by thickets \»f lautaua is 
appreciated by ( 'oacliwhip-liirds (Psophodes olivaceus), 
AAdiilst the Scrub Turkey (Cathetura lathami) fimls 
security among the dense growth of prickly pear and a 
A'aluahle food-supply in its fruits. The latter ari* also 
greatly appreciated by Emus. 
In conclusion, 1 A'.umld once more emphasize that 
noAv that flu* sjiecies of animals and plants found in 
Queensland are mostly knoAvn and classified, Ave should 
not consider the Avork of the naturalist as done; on the 
contrary, Queensland naturalists building on the founda- 
tion thus laid should endeavour to gain an insight into 
the relationships existing betAveen the different life- 
forms of the State. Our veteran memlier. Mr. lllidge. has 
set us an excellent example in his studies of tlie life 
histories of the insects associated Avith particular succics 
of trees. T liaAie already cited Mr. Banfield’s studies of 
the relations between vaiTons organisms on Dunk Island. 
