uji. ] Barnard, Field Notes from Cape York. 23 



Owing to the nests being placed in the upright hollows, they are ex- 

 posed to the heavy rains, and to obviate risk of drowning to the 

 young birds the parents cut green sticks, about 1 inch in diameter 

 and from 12 to 18 inches in length, which are carried from the scrub 

 to the nesting-hole, down which they are dropped. The birds then 

 climb down the hollows and chop the sticks up into small splinters, 

 until the bottom of the hole is covered to a depth of about 4 inches. 

 On top of this platform the egg is laid. On one occasion I saw a 

 Palm-Cockatoo carrying a stick, but, though I followed the direction 

 of its fhght for fully a mile, I could not discover the nesting-tree. 

 During my former visit, in 1896, I found the birds far more numerous 

 than on this occasion. Mr. F. L. Jardine informed me that he had 

 noticed the same fact, and attributed it to the frequent visits of sports- 

 men (?) from Thursday Island, who shoot everything that comes in 

 their way. The note of this Cockatoo is a loud whistling, and much 

 more harmonious than the call of the other Black Cockatoos. Four 

 clutches measure as follow: — («) 1.84 x 1.37, (6) 1.75 x 1.37, (c) 

 1.84 X 1.35, {d) I. So X 1.38. 



Cacatua galerita. White Cockatoo. — Very plentiful, breeding in 

 both the forest and scrub trees, in the topmost limbs. 



Ptistes erythropterus. Red-winged Lory. — Fairly plentiful in 

 forest country. Saw the young on several occasions feeding with 

 the parents shortly after I arrived. The breeding period, therefore, 

 would be about June or July. 



Platycercus amathusia. Blue-cheeked Parrakeet. — Found in 

 forest country, mostly on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula, 

 feeding usually on the seeds of the black tea-tree. When first noticed 

 these birds were in small flocks of 4 or 5, and, from the state of 

 the plumage, there were old birds and young. A bird shot on 15th 

 October, 1910, proved to be a young male, which had evidently been 

 hatched about April, and was in a very immature state of plumage. 

 Specimens obtained in January, 191 1, were in full breeding plumage, 

 and I noticed birds examining nesting hollows. From this it is 

 evident that the breeding season is from February to June, or there- 

 abouts. 



Podargus papuensis. Plumed Frogmouth. — Fairly common in 

 forest country. Breeds in any timber in the forest. Nest the usual 

 scanty stick structure, placed on a horizontal fork of a tree. 

 Breeding months from September to February. The first nest 

 taken by me contained two eggs, and I had previously been under 

 the impression that one egg only formed the clutch. They 

 measure — (a) 1.97 x 1.32, (b) 1.87 x 1.28. This is evidently a rare 

 occurrence, as all the other nests found contained only one egg or 

 one young bird. From information obtained from Mr. F. L. Jardine 

 and others, I find that this species migrates, and frequently settles 

 on the pearling boats in the Strait between Cape York and New 

 Guinea. The flight across takes place only at night. 



Podargus raarmoratus. Marbled Frogmouth. — Fairly common ; 

 only found in tliick scrubs. 



Eurystomus pacificus. Dollar-Bird. — A few specimens seen on 

 their way south to breed, early in October, 19 10. 



Alcyone pulchra. Purple Kingfisher.— Fairly plentiful along fresh- 

 water creeks, where 1 found them burrowing in the banks of the 



