■580 Mr. T. Carter on the Birds of [Ibis, 



Circus assimilis rogersi. 



The Spotted Harrier was only seen on one occasion on 

 Dirk Hartog Island, viz. 12 October, 1916, and it is a bird 

 that is not easily overlooked. This is the only record in 

 the conrse of ray two visits to that island, from April 25 

 to May 26, and from September 27 to November II, 1916. 

 Several were observed on the Peron between 11 November, 

 1916, and 19 Jannary, 1917. It may here be mentioned 

 that the smaller Raptores were distinctly scarce in botli 

 these localities. The absence of timber is probably one 

 reason for this, and another may be that the prevailing 

 dense scrub and thicket afford safe shelter for the resident 

 birds, which are, for the most part, of small size, and usually 

 reside in the bushes. 



Urospiza fasciata cruenta. 



Lesser Goshawks were very rarely seen on Dirk Hartog. 

 One was shot there that had been paying attention to the 

 station fowls for some clays. They Avere not noted on the 

 Peron. 



Accipiter cirrocephalus broomei. 



One Sparrow-hawk was seen on Dirk Hartog. None on 

 the Peron. 



Qroaetus audax carteri. 



No Wedge-tailed Eagles were noted on the Peron, but 

 they are still fairly common on Dirk Hartog, although they 

 are systematically shot or poisoned, and the eggs and young 

 destroyed in tlie nests, which are easy of access, being, in 

 default of timl)er, built in the tops of the "We-arra" 

 stunted trees previously mentioned, so the nests are only 

 from eight to twelve feet above the ground. The breeding- 

 season is much later on Dirk Hartog than in the Gascoyne 

 and Point Cloates districts, where eggs were generally laid 

 late in May. July and August are when eggs are looked for 

 on Dirk Hartog. Small young were seen in the nest there 

 on September 20, and a bird almost full-grown was brought 

 in to the station on October 24. 



