SHINING STARLING. 
usually chosen for the purpose is a tall one in the scrub. Here on the Claudie 
the tree is usually one that loses its leaves in the late vdnter and spring, which 
corresponds to the dry season, and conies into flower before the leaves are 
put out at the commencement of the wet season. Such trees are also the 
favourite nesting sites of Eclectus pectoralis macgillivrayi, Gacatua galerita, 
and Astur novcehollandice. The Starlings are noisy creatures, keeping up an 
incessant chatter when building and flying to and fro to their nests. We could 
always tell when a Goshawk was returning to its nest by the sudden cessation 
of the chattering, which would not be resumed until the Hawk has either settled 
on its nest or taken its departure. The gromid imder these trees is carpeted 
with ivdd nutmegs from which the mace has been digested by the birds, and 
also by the stones and seeds of many other fruits. Even when in a nutmeg 
or other feeding tree the same constant chatter is kept up, the bii’ds darting 
rapidly through the trees and frequently quarrelling with one another. On 
our next visit to Lloyd’s Island, on the 29th November, Mr. McLennan directed 
our attention to the mamier of their return to their roosting-place in 
the mangroves at nightfall. It happened just before dark, after the main 
body of Pigeons and Parrots had passed over, and in a way that has earned 
for this bird the local name of the ‘ Whirlwind-Bird.’ We first notice 
a quickly-moving, dark cloud-like body on the horizon over the wliirlwind. 
The cloud, a compact mass of these birds, moves high up into the sky, then 
dovTi and forward with a rush, upwards and backwards again in ever-changing 
form. At first a compact body, it lengthens out into the sinuous form of a 
snake, then closes up again to assume the shape of an aeroplane with two out¬ 
spread wings and a central body, then as a spiral, going rapidly upwards like 
a wiUy-villy of the plains, to gather together again as a dumb-bell or some 
other fantastic shape, or to spread out until the whole mass becomes diaphanous 
and invisible, instantly to become a concrete form again. Going through these 
performances, the flock has come high up over the sea, and when within 
measurable distance of the island it dives down to the level of the water and 
rushes with incredible rapidity towards the mangroves, into which it seems 
to hurl itself to roost. Whilst this is happening to one flock, others of larger 
or smaller dimensions have appeared on the horizon, and all go through the 
same evolutions before finally seeking a resting place in the mangroves. 
Shining Starlnigs are not wholly fruit-eaters, as we noticed a number 
of them busily engaged in capturing flying insects in open forest. 
When at Raine Island on the 10th December, one of these birds was 
found sheltering in the tower.” 
Another delightful account, with a lot of excellent data, has been provided 
by Dr. E. J. Banfield of Dunk Island, from which a little only can be 
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