992 



A-ESTS A.VD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



By its swift aerial movements and its love for plundering other sea 

 birds it has well been tenncd a "Falcon of the Sea," and is easily mis- 

 taken for the other marine marauder — the Great Frigate Bird. 



The Lesser Frigate Bird was foimd breeding on Raine Islet, in ToiTes 

 Strait, by Commander Ince, R.N., dui-ing the sm-veying voyage of H.M.S. 

 " Fly." His obsei-vations are recorded by Gould. 



In his " Notes by a Natiu-alist," Professor Moseley writes respecting 

 the nesting of the Lesser Frigat« Bird on Raine Islet, 31st August, 1874 : 

 " Their nests were nearly all confined to a small area, near the cleared 

 patch already refen-ed to (where two species of Gannets — the Brown 

 and the Masked — were breeding). Tliey are like those of the Red-legged 

 Gannet (S. piscator), raised on the bushes, and are a compact, platform- 

 like mass of twigs and gi-ass, matted togetlier with dung, about eight 

 inches in diameter. There were no eggs of the birds in the nests, but 

 mostly fax advanced young, which were covered with frills of a rusty- 

 colonred down. The old birds soared overhead, and could only be 

 obtained by being shot ; whereas the Gannets were easily knocked over 

 on the nests with sticks. The main body of the Frigate Birds remained 

 during our stay, soaring high up in the air, with their Eagle-like flight, 

 far above the cloud of other birds (Terns, &c.) beneath." 



Mr. J. T. Fox wasi good enough to make some observations of the birds 

 frequenting Maiden Island for me, and procured skins and eggs of same. 

 Maiden, which is in the mid-Pacific, and near the reported limits of this 

 bird's range, is an integral part of the British Dominions, and is leased 

 for its rich deposits of phosphoric guano by Messrs. Grice, Sumner & Co., 

 of Melbourne. Tlie Lesser Frigate Bird always frequents the island, 

 but is to be found in gi'eater numbers dimng the laying season, March 

 and April, when they amve in thousands to take up their quarters upon 

 the islands in the lagoon. During the breeding season the male bird 

 is very conspicuous with his bi-ight-red gular pouch, which he proudly 

 distends at times. 



An extraordinary habit is possessed by this bird — and not bv any 

 other kind as far as I am aware — namely, that occasionally when 

 disturbed it will lift its egg in its claws and ascend into the air. 

 Mr. Fox assured me of this fact, and stated that on one occasion an 

 incredulous visitor to the island was scrutinizing from below a biid that 

 had risen, when by fright or accident it released the hold of its egg, 

 which fell and smashed upon the spectator, who was then and tliere con- 

 vinced of the peculiar trait of the bird, and was only too thankful that 

 the egg was not addled. 



Regarding the Lesser Frigate Bird breeding on AdiMc Island, on 

 the north-west coast, Mr. James Walker, H.M.S. " Penguin," who visited 

 the locality, 2nd May. 1892, gives the follownng interesting account in 

 the " rijis " (1892) : — " These fine birds had been noticed while wc were 

 wading over the flats, soaring high above all the sea fowl, many of them, 

 indeed, reduced to mere black specks against the blue sky. Extending 

 for more tlian half a mile along the middle of the i.sland was a naiTOw 

 strip of open land, almost fiee from tlie usual high gi-ass, and covered 

 chiefiy with the Ipiinufn. Here the nests of the Frigate Birds were 

 to be seen in clusters or bunches of from five or six to as many as twenty 



