Voi.^xi.j Barnard, Field Notes from Cape York. IQ 



Chalcophaps chrysochlora. Little Green-Pigeon. — Fairly plentiful 

 in the scrubs, and generally observed on the ground. Found birds 

 breeding ; two sets oi eggs taken. Nest much more strongly built 

 than is the case with most of the Pigeons, and large for the size of 

 the bird. 



Rallina tricolor. Red-necked Rail. — Judging by the calls, which 

 are made only at night, the birds are fairly plentiful, but only 

 inhabit the dry, hilly country covered with scrub. 



One of these birds flushed from her nest on the side of a dry stony 

 ridge in scrub where the undergrowth was very thick. The nest, 

 such as it was, was placed at the foot of a tree, and consisted of a 

 slight hollow in the ground, in which a few dead leaves were placed. 

 The eggs, four in number, were quite fresh. As the eggs would have 

 been useless without the bird, I took them out of the nest, and placed 

 in their stead four eggs of the Silver-tailed Kingfisher (Tanysiptera 

 sylvia). Owing to the thickness of the undergrowth I knew it 

 would be almost impossible for me to obtain a shot before the bird 

 was on the nest. Having placed the eggs, I retired a short distance, 

 and sat behind a tree to wait. The day was very cloudy, and light 

 showers kept falling, making the scrub very dark. The bird was 

 very shy, and, though I knew several times that she was close to 

 me, I could not see her. I remained in this position for two hours, 

 and then, thinking she could see me too well, I climbed to the fork 

 of a tree about 15 feet from the ground, from where I had a much 

 better view of the nest ; but, though I remained in this position 

 without moving for an hour and a half, and till I was thoroughly 

 cramped, I could see no sign of the bird. Descending the tree, I took 

 up my former position. After waiting some time I became very 

 sleepy, and must have dozed off, for when I awoke the sun was 

 getting low, and I was just in time to see the bird step quietly round 

 the tree and on to the nest. As she sat on the nest I could not see 

 her ; but, raising my gun, fired into the nest, and, walking quickly 

 to the spot, found the bird dead and the remains of the Kingfisher's 

 eggs scattered all over the dead bird and the butt of the tree. I had 

 watched this nest from 10 o'clock in the morning till 4 in the after- 

 noon. I do not know whether these Rails remain here all the year. 

 I first heard their call during December. 



A supposed second species of Rail inhabits the Cape York Penin- 

 sula, but I was unable to obtain specimens. A bird shot by a resident 

 of Cape York during my stay in the locality was too far gone to be 

 skinned. The bird was examined by Mr. W. M'Lennan, who was 

 collecting in the locality for Dr. Macgillivray, and considered by 

 him to be Amaurornis moluccana. I am satisfied that further search 

 will prove that the spotted eggs hitherto attributed to Rallina 

 tricolor really belong to the second Rail, which I suppose to be the 

 Rufous-tailed Moor-Hen. 



The habits of the two birds are different, Rallina tricolor being found 

 only in the scrub growdng on the dry, hilly country, while the other 

 (which I frequently saw, but could not shoot on account of its rapid 

 movements) inhabits the low-lying, damp localities. The notes of 

 the two birds are also quite distinct. 



The clutch of four white and spotless eggs of Rallina tricolor taken 

 measure as follows : — (a) 1.55 x i.ii, (b) 1.50 x 1.13, (c) 1.5 x 1.12, 

 {a) 1.55 X I. 15. 



Amaurornis moluccana (?; Rufous-tailed Moor-Hen. — The second 



