136 AOXEW, Xotcs from Peel Island. Uuto^^ 



Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris. Spinebill. — Stray migrant. A single 

 bird noted during May, 1914. 



Meliphaga chrysops. Yellow-faced Honey-eater. — Local. Common. 

 Breeds here. 3/8/19: Nest suspended from oak branch 3 feet from 

 ground; built of tea tree bark shreds, dead leaves and cobwebs out- 

 side; lining was the down from honeysuckle cones. 9th: Nest con- 

 tained two young, whose down had started to disappear, and feathers 

 on wing covei'ts; gape, yellow. 17th: Feathers covering birds brown- 

 ish with white edgings mostly on nape and crown. 20th: Feathers 

 cover body, being light olive-brown. 22nd: Watched parents busily 

 engaged feeding young with putella moths. 24th: Visited nest and 

 found young beginning to fly. It will be noted that the young 

 take 17 days till they leave the nest; 7 days elapsed before the first 

 appearance of feathers, then ten days before being fully fledged. 

 Earliest record of nesting, 23/7/19. Eggs bufl" coloured. Measure- 

 ments of nest No. 1: Diameter, 12 in.; depth outside, 2!,' in.; depth 

 inside, 1!J in. Nest No. 2: Diameter, \l in.; depth outside, 3 in.; 

 depth inside, IJ in. Nests discovered either in mangroves or bush- 

 lands. P. chrysops is a foster-parent for the Bronze-Cuckoo (Lam- 

 prococcyx plagosus). 



Meliornis novae-hollandiaB. White-bearded Honey-eater. — Local. 

 Common; breeds here. 21/10/19: A pair of birds building nest in 

 peach tree near window. 22nd, 23rd, 24th: Birds busy adding to nest; 

 finishing task about 5 p.m. on 24th. 25th: Late in afternoon one 

 pinky-white ^g.g. laid. 26th: This morning another egg was laid. 

 27/10/19 to 12/11/19: Female sat till today, when young naked birds 

 were hatched; colour, dark brown with white down I in. long all over 

 body. 16th: No change in appearance; culmen light brown above, 

 nostril raised 4 in.; inside and above along gape to chin light yellow 

 white. 19th: Rapid development in growth of feathers, which take 

 the place of down on wing-coverts, mantle, rump, crown and neck; 

 the basal half of outer webs of wings Avhite; ear coverts light yellow, 

 other points greyish-brown. 20th: Watched parents feed young on 

 insects, of which there was a supply handy. 21st: Examination of 

 young; found down quickly disappearing; scattered hairs on lower 

 back, around ear coverts and nape; wing feathers a little darker. 

 Since this date young left nest, and being soon able to fly were gone 

 in a week. Food: These birds partake liberally of Aphis infesting 

 garden plants; also the skin-like substance lining cup moch cocoon. 



Tropidorhynchus corniculatus. Friar-Bird. — Local. A common 

 bird, nesting on island. In winter small flocks seen everywhere; 

 otherwise observed in pairs. Nests, in tea-trees and gums, suspended 

 and cup-shaped; material used in construction, tea-tree, shreds of 

 bark, dead leaves, also gum lined with supple grass, etc. April: 

 Numbers arrive from highlands. July departure, when local birds 

 pair off. August: Nesting commences, which proceeds till January. 



Anthus australis. Pipit. — Local. Once noted on northern point; 

 now resident on grassy flats on S.E.; noted in pairs. Nest built at 

 base of tufty grass; well concealed, and is made of fine grass with 

 rootlets for lining; sometimes feathers are used. Eggs: Three. Last 

 noted on north end, January, 1915. They nest in August. 



Mirafra javanica. Bush-Lark.— Stray migrant. 30/5/19: "A pair 

 of those birds seen early this morning." 10/6/19: Disappeared. 



Stagonopleura guttata. Spotted-sided Finch. — Stray migrant. 

 First noted 20/5/15; departed, 27/5/15; again, 26/2/20, a solitary 

 bird. 



Zonaeginthus bellus. Fire-tailed Finch. — Migrant. May, 1917: 

 A flock numbering about 20 frequented the garden and paddock trees. 

 Departed second week July. 



Stizoptera bichenovii. Banded Finch. — Migrant. These birds 

 visited the island for winter, 1915. 



