Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/165

Rh fortunate enough to find their eggs, nor could I spare the time to hunt for them. The Campephagæ disappeared in July; they were exceedingly shy. The White-winged Superb Warbler (Malurus leucopterus) was abundant this year, and I secured specimens of the Graceful Superb Warbler (M. elegans), but they were rare.

On June 10th a curious and, to a flock-owner, startling circumstance occurred. One of the natives brought me a live Rabbit, to know what the strange animal could be. Rabbits are now over the western bush border in numbers in the far south-east; but that is some nine hundred miles distant, and it is strange if they have crossed the continent from east to west without being observed east of here. I went to where the Rabbit was caught, and some distance away found a shallow burrow with numerous recent tracks and beaten roads, with heaps of dung radiating from it. We dug it out, but it was empty, and since then have seen no further sign of this pest. There have been numerous wrecks on the dangerous reefs here both before and after the country was opened out, but the last wreck was fifteen years since, and if Rabbits have been here since then it is extraordinary if the numerous natives never noticed them. Altogether it is a very puzzling affair, but it seems most probable the single specimen secured, which caused much alarm and correspondence, came from some vessel. Practically no visitors call here, so it could not have been turned down by a passing traveller on the road. Towards the end of June I went to look at some wonderful trees of which the natives informed me in a patch of unexplored country. We found them in a small basin of good soil surrounded by bad ranges. They were few in number, but remarkably interesting, being a species of palm tree about forty feet high. I am informed they are the cabbage-tree palm, which only grows in one other part of this colony, so far as is known. I shot on this trip a Delicate Owl (Strix delicatulus), and a Boobook Owl (Spiloglaux boobook). The former seemed to have fed mostly on beetles. I noted and shot a Collared Parrakeet (Platycercus semitorquatus); Rust-coloured Bronze wing Pigeons (Lophophaps ferruginea) in some numbers. Also secured a beautiful clutch of three Osprey's eggs. The Black Honey-Eater (Myzomela nigra) and Redcapped Robin (Petroeca goodenovii) were not uncommon. Gould thought the latter was only found in the interior. I have several times shot it close to the beach. Delicate and Boobook Owls were often seen in June and July.

July 15th, I secured specimens of Red-backed Kingfishers (Todirhamphus pyrrhopygius) and Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus), and two Jardine's Harriers (Circus jardinii). I had long tried to identify a fine slate-coloured Hawk that is fairly plentiful here in good (i.e. wet) seasons, but extremely shy. This year I have proved beyond doubt it is that