THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
to live much of their life in the topmost branches of the tallest tree growing 
along the banks of rivers and creeks, and, if available, usually perch upon a 
dead branch. Suddenly they will dart into the air, apparently after some 
passing insect, then most probably will return to the same perch they had 
just left, but I think very often these quick, short, jerky flights are sometimes 
■ ^in a form of play, more especially when two or more birds go up together ; 
“ at these times they are very noisy, and their notes are somewhat resembled 
by several of their blown eggs being rubbed quickly together, but, of course, 
their notes are very much louder. They must be very quick at hearing, as 
they often leave their nests at the least sound of approaching danger, but I 
have known them to refuse to flush even when a rifle bullet has been fired into 
the hole. They usually resort to rather high trees for nesting : I have seen 
them seventy feet or more, but never less than forty. They build no nest, 
simply laying their eggs upon the decaying wood. The clutch is usually four, 
and of all the nests I have examined containing eggs one was in December, 
all the others in November, but none before the second week, so in this district 
they are most regular in their nesting habits. I once saw an albino.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor sent me the following : “ The DoUar Bird is by no 
means rare in New South Wales and Queensland, if the right kind of country 
is sought out for observing its peculiar habits : it loves the thickly timbered 
parts, and especially where the trees have been ‘ rung,’ and are standing Hke 
gaunt giant ghosts, can the Roller be seen to advantage : here are hollows for 
it to live in the heat of the day, and come forth towards night and capture 
its insect food in the clear spaces between the trees ; it generally starts feeding 
late in the afternoon, sailing from one dry tree to another, capturing the 
insects on the wing, and only resting a moment or two ere it goes on again 
in pursuit of more food. I have seen them plentiful in the forest and scrub 
country about the Tuggerah Lakes, between Sydney and Newcastle, New 
South Wales, in December, 1904, and I also saw them in the BlackaU Ranges, 
Queensland, where they occupied the same localities as in New South Wales. 
These birds are not altogether night birds, although they can see well in the 
dusk of the evening, but also move about in the daytime if not too hot. I 
saw some of them flying overhead at the Capricorn Islands early in November, 
1910 : they had in all probability come from the mainland, and were living 
in the thick scrub on the islands for the time being.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has sent me the following : “ I have only met with this 
bird in the flesh once, and that was at Ferntree Gully, Nov. 8, 1908. Mr. 
Mattingley discovered them sitting high up in a tall and dead white gum. 
We wished to secure them, but were without firearms. I remembered that 
my brother and party were to have camped close by, and hunting about we 
