1 917'] Dirk Hurt uij Island and Feron J' eninsula. 581 



Cuncuma leucogaster. 



The White- bellied Sea-Eagle was fairly common on Dirk 

 Hartog Island, although it is shot whenever a chance occurs 

 to do so. The manager of the island station informed me 

 that these birds are very destructive to lambs, hence their 

 persecution. As they doubtless mostly breed on the vast 

 cliffs of the west coast, they may be able to hold their own 

 for many years. There is an eyrie on the east coast of the 

 island at Quoin Bluff, where eggs were laid last year. A 

 bird of the year was shot at the station 7 October, 1916, as 

 it was hovering above the poultry-run. 



A few of these birds were seen on the Peron. 



leracidea berigora occidentalis. 



Only one Brown H;ivvk vvas seen on Diik Hartog ; it was 

 shot ou November 9 as it was in very peculiar plumage, 

 with patches of cream-colour interspersed with the usual 

 brown. 



This species was not noted on the Peron, wliich is remark- 

 able, as it is by far the commonest bird of prey in Western 

 Australia. 



Cerchneis cenchroides unicolor. 



The Western Nankeen Kestrel was fairly numerous both 

 on Dirk Hartog and the Peron, and many more of them 

 were seen on the island than on the mainland. This vvas 

 probably because, on my first visit to the island, the greater 

 part of it was simply swarming with domestic mice. The 

 station-house was alive with them, and all the sandy ground 

 from there to the north end of the island was pitted with 

 their foot-prints. They were a great nuisance at my camp, 

 as they got among the food and could not be kept out of 

 my blankets when I was sleeping. The Kestrels on Dirk 

 Hartog must breed in the crevices and on ledges of the 

 cliffs. They were always shy and difficult to approach. 



On the Peron, I was shown a heap of seaweed under 

 a bunk in a small corrugated iron hut, erected for the 

 convenience of the station employees. A pair of Kestrels 

 utilized this seaweed as a nest, eggs being laid on it last 



