THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 131 
an idea of their size may be gained from the fact that the 
surface tension of a drop of water held one of these little 
creatures helpless on the side of the jar. To a casual observer 
the ground here was bare and devoid of attraction, but here I 
found some of my most interesting and instructive specimens. 
These small frogs proved to be specimens of Cunia signifera, 
and this fact at once leads to some interesting deductions, viz., 
that both the size and habits of frogs vary greatly according 
to the circumstances of their birth and surroundings. The 
small frogs were admirable swimmers and divers, remaining 
for very considerable periods under water. They progressed 
entirely by hops, and lay stillagainst the ground when harassed. 
Some that I caught at Ashfield were quite thrice the size of 
these. When they emerged from the water they would walk 
beetle-fashion when unhurried and undisturbed, but would 
burrow to escape observation. My attention was now attracted 
by the cries of Pseudophryne bibronit, which are unmistakable, 
being somewhat like the noise made by gently striking a wax 
match on the rough end of a box, and on raising a flat stone 
about a square foot in area by an inch thick, I found two of 
these frogs in about a quarter of an inch of water. ‘To the 
larger of the two were affixed numerous eggs, others being 
scattered round about. The eggs were about 4 m.m, in 
diameter, and consisted of a black nucleus surrounded by a | 
transparent coating of a jelly-like substance. These frogs made 
practically no attempts to escape. P. bibroniz is an indifferent 
swimmer, and its motions in the water are much like its move- 
ments on land, where, if tired or undisturbed, it progresses with 
‘a turtle-like waddle. One of these little frogs gravely walking 
across the floor presents an appearance quaint in the extreme. 
Though able to make considerable leaps, it usually makes instead 
a series of quick jumps when disturbed. These jumps will not 
be more than two inches in length. A third specimen of 
P. bibronii was my last capture. On the whole I was very 
well pleased with the results of my trip. 
BIRD NOTES. 
(By Mr. L. Harrison.) 
Early in May of this year I was informed that the pallid 
cuckoo (Cuculus palli¢dus) was about at Killara, but I did not 
credit my informant, who was only a young observer, as I myself 
had seen and heard many of the fan-tailed species (Cacomantis 
flabelliformis) in the neighbourhood, and concluded he had been 
mistaken in his identification. Towards the middle of the 
month, however, I heard several of the birds on three or four 
successive mornings about my own house, and they were certainly 
of the pallid species. A week later they were gone, and I have 
heard none since. 5 
