2l6 HvLh, Avifauna of New South Wales Islands. [,5^X^11 



Sterna frontalis. — This bird is only noted for two months in the 

 year — July and August. Tt is always to be seen diving for its prey 

 close in to the rocks. During these months we estimate that the 

 total of this species within a range of 20 miles of Sydney would not 

 be more than about 150 birds. 



Larus novae-hollandisB. — These birds, like the S. bergii are always 

 to be seen, but are less numerous during the months of September, 

 October, and November, when they are away breeding. Their 

 closest rookery to Sydney known to us is at Five Islands, in the south. 



Megalestris antarctica. — May is the first month that these birds 

 make their appearance. They are to be seen in singles and in pairs 

 up till the end of August. They are known to all the fishermen and 

 sailors alike on the coast of New South Wales as the Sea-Hen or 

 Sea-Hawk. 



Stercorarius crepidatus. — Immediatelv -A/, antarctica disappears 

 this bird takes its place, and is noted up till about the end of 

 January. Windle seems to think that the birds that come to this 

 coast within the radius of 20 miles of Sydney remain in the same 

 locality until the time they take their departure. He comes to this 

 conclusion mainly on account of the various markings of their 

 plumage. He estimates in this radius that during these months 

 there would be about 20 of these birds. On one occasion we saw as 

 many as eight Skuas tackhng a Tern. When the Tern had dived 

 for its food, and was flying away with it, the Skuas would come from 

 everywhere and join in the chase ; previous to the diving of the Tern 

 there could not be seen any trace of them. Some of these chases 

 would continue for half a minute, and in other cases for many minutes, 

 before the victim disgorged its food. 



Demiegretta sacra. — Three pairs of these birds seem to occupy the 

 coast-line from Botany Bay to Broken Bay. 



Phalacrocorax carbo.— Noted from May until November only in 

 singles ; in December and January they are noted in pairs ; the end 

 of January they begin to show their breeding plumage. 



Phalacrocorax melanoleucus. — Are noted all the year round. 



Phalacrocorax gouldi. — Noted during May, June, and July, but 

 only in singles. The nearest rookery of these birds known to us is 

 on the South Rock, Broughton Island, N.S.W. 



Sula serrator. — Noted all the year round, and very plentiful from 

 August until December, when they are following the huge shoals of 

 pilchards making north. 



Haliaetus leucogaster. — There is a pair of these bii^ds which breed 

 annuallv on the north-east point of Kuring-gai Chase that juts into 

 Broken Bay. This pair of birds seem to have practically the whole 

 of the coast-line from Broken Bav to Botanv Bav to themselves. 



