CASUAKIS. 
295 
feeding-trees, yet the birds themselves are now seldom seen. 
During the day they remain in the most dense parts of the scrubs 
wandering about the sides of the watercourses and creeks, diving 
in through the bushes and vines at the slightest noise. Towards 
evening and early morning they usually visit their favourite 
feeding-trees, such as the native figs, Leichhardt-tree (S. 
leichhardti), and various species of Acmena, Jainbosa, Davidsonia 
ifce. ; they appear to be particularly fond of the astringent fruit of 
a species of Maranta, which produces bunches of large seed-pods 
filled with juicy pulp, resembling in appearance the inside of a 
ripe passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). They breed during the 
months of August and September. The first nest procured was 
found by some of Inspector Johnstone’s black troopers, from whom 
Mr. Miller, a settler on the Herbert River, purchased some of the 
eggs. Ono which lie kindly presented to me is of the light-green 
variety mentioned hereafter. The nest consists of a depression 
among the fallen leaves and debris with which the ground in the 
scrubs is covered, with the addition of a few more dry leaves. The 
placo selected is always in the most dense part, and well concealed 
by entangled masses of vegetation. The eggs wore five in number 
in the two instances recorded ; and in both cases one of the e<?"s 
in each set differed from the others, being of a light-green colour, 
and having a much smoother shell. The others all have a rough 
shell, covered rather sparingly with irregular raised patches of 
dark but bright green on a lighter green and smooth ground. In 
the pale (No. 1) variety, the raisings on the shell are close together 
and not so well developed ; in both varieties they are more thinly 
spread over the central portion than at the ends. On the whole 
they closely resemble the eggs of Casuaris bennelti, in which 
similar variations are noticeable; but they are larger, and of a 
greater diameter, being greatest in the middle. I am indebted to 
Inspector Robert Johnstone for the fine series of the eggs of this 
species, which at present grace my collection. The following are 
measurements of some of the specimens of the eggs : No. 1, 
Light-green, smooth shell, length 5-33 x 373 inches; No. 2, 
Dark-green, rough shell, length 5’3 x 3-88 inches.” (Ramsay, 
P.Z.S., 1876, p. 119.) 
