228 ViDGEN, Birds Visiting C. Y. Peninsula and Neiv Guinea. [,,f ^'Vil 



When pearl-shelling on the ocean beds to the north-west . of 

 Thursday Island I have seen large flocks of Spoonbills and Ibises 

 making their flights to and from New Guinea. I did not notice 

 them every year. As far as memory serves, these migrations 

 were generally at the latter end of the year — during September, 

 October, and November. The Channelbill (Scythrops) is rather 

 a difficult bird to place ; a few may be seen almost the whole year 

 through. Some years they are plentiful during June, July, and 

 August, but not regularly. In two different years I saw them in 

 flocks of up to a dozen on Mulgrave Island ; on both occasions 

 this was in the latter end of April and early May. They were 

 feeding on the wild figs when seen. The direction of their flight 

 I could not ascertain, but they are not permanent on Mulgrave 

 Island. We do not see many of these birds at or near Paira. If 

 there are any about they are sure to be found in the vicinity of 

 Somerset, three miles from here. Just why they favour that 

 particular locality it is difficult to say ; food is certainly not the 

 factor, as the wild figs on which they chiefly feed are widely and 

 plentifully distributed. 



Birds which make an annual appearance at Cape York. They 

 come and go with regularity as regards the time of the year, 

 but, unlike the migratory birds, 'they are seen but once. Whence 

 they come and where they go is a matter of conjecture : — The 

 AustraUan Roller or Dollar-Bird {Eiirystomns facificus), the 

 Chestnut-breasted Finch {Munia castaneothorax), a Swift, a 

 Swiftlet, the Pied Gralhna or Magpie-Lark [Grallina picata), Sea- 

 Curlew {Nnmenius cyanopus), the Whimbrel (A^. ph(eopus), and 

 two varieties of Quail. 



Of these birds only the Finch and Quail are definitely known 

 to breed during their sojourn in this locahty. At different times 

 I have seen Munia castaneothorax on Banks and Mulgrave Island? 

 — -the last islands of importance in the chain stretching from 

 Queensland towards New Guinea- on the western boundary of 

 Torres Strait. 



Notes on the Domestic Habits of the Spotted'Sided 

 Finch (Stagonopleura guttata). 



By (Mrs.) S. T. W. Norton, R.A.O.U., Boree, Walcha, N.S.W. 



When we first settled in the New England district, ten years ago 

 (1910), I do not remember seeing any of these little birds about 

 near the homestead ; but so soon as our newly-planted trees and 

 shrubs began to attain some growth and thickness of foUage the 

 Finches (known locally as " Diamond-Sparrows " or " Red-tails ") 

 began to come into the garden through the summer months. The 

 first pair I observed here arrived about March, 191 6, and began 

 at once building a nest in a rose arch near the house. They did 

 not lay any eggs or rear any young ones that autumn, but used 



