^°mF^] DAVIS, Notes from JrUIis Island 181 



Bird Notes from Willis Island 



By CAl'TAIX J. K. DAVIS, Coinmonweallh Director of 

 X.-ivigation, Melbourne. 

 Communicated by A. II. Cbisholm, State Secretary, (Jueen.sland. 



Willis Island, in the Coral Sea, is 250 miles N., 81 deg. E. of 

 Cairns. It is the southern of a group of three islets, being larger 

 and higher than either Mid Islet or North Cay, which lie N.N.E. 

 four and ten miles respectively. The group was surveyed in 

 1800 by H.M.S. Herald, Captain H. M. Denham, R.N., F.R.S., 

 but very little information was obtainable, up to 1921, as to its 

 climate or the nature of the reefs surrounding the central land 

 mass. The necessity for a cyclone- warning station on an island 

 in the Coral Sea had been urged for years by meteorologists and 

 by the inhabitants of Queensland. Recently the Navigation Act, 

 of 1920, requiring all ships over 1600 tons to be equipped with 

 wireless, had come into operation. The question to be answered 

 was, "Is it safe for a party to remain on the island during the 

 hurricane season, considering its size and the height above the 

 sea." 



"The information recptired to answer such a question," writes 

 Captain Davis, in a report recently presented to the Common- 

 wealth Parliament, "could only be obtained by an observer re- 

 maining on the island during the season of bad weather. Con- 

 siderable doubt had been expressed as to the island being safe 

 during the season of bad weather. I had formed the opinion 

 that such apprehension was not well founded ; still, it did not 

 appear right to recommend that others should go and reside there 

 during the cyclone season until an attempt had been made to 

 obtain definite information. As I was aware of the great value 

 it would be to shipping, I strongly recommended the establish- 

 ment of an experimental station for the season 1921-1922. I 

 offered to undertake the work, and to remain on the island (for 

 the first season) as meterological observer. Approval was given 

 for the establishment of a wireless station on Willis Island, and 

 I was instructed to make all necessary arrangements to ensure 

 that it should be in operation as soon as possible." 



Cai)tain Davis arrived in Brisbane, en route to Townsville and 

 Willis Island, during October of 1921. While he was in Bris- 

 bane, the attention of Ca])tain Davis was drawn to the ornitho- 

 logical possibilities of the lonely little outpost in the Coral Sea, 

 and he was asked if he would make observations and collect 

 specimens. While difiident about his ability to carry out this 

 work. Captain Davis readily agreed to do what he could. He 

 was then furnished with a text book and brief directions regard- 

 ing skins and eggs. How well the Director of Navigation carried 

 out the additional obligation which he took upon himself is to 

 become apparent. It should be remarked that the devotion of 

 Captain Davis to this work was no more than was expected of 



