272 



L 1st April 



latter as "Australia generally." On the west coast, as far as I 

 am aware, P. variiis is the only species found, but on the south 

 coast of W.A. P. fuscescens occurs in the Recherche Archipel- 

 ago. Mr. E. Ashby recently stated in The Etnu that he observed 

 this latter bird at Geraldton, W.A., but unless he collected speci- 

 mens I think he must have made a mistake in identification. On 

 the east coast also P. fuscescens must be ver\' rare if not absent, 

 since all the birds in the Queensland Museum prove on examina- 

 tion to be P. var'nis, and even in the Australian Museum there 

 are only two specimens of P. fuscescens, and neither of them 

 has any data. All the specimens with data showing that they 

 were obtained in New South Wales are P. varins, though the 

 British Museum has a specimen of P. fuscescens presented by 

 the Australian Museum labelled New South Wales. Gould 

 states that he saw it on the Hunter. I do not know whether it 

 is possible to distinguish the two species in life, as I have never 

 to my knowledge met with P. fuscescens, but the feathering on 

 their heads and the form of the bill at once distinguish them 

 when they are handled. I would like to appeal to members of 

 the R.A.O.U. to examine every large White-breasied Cormo- 

 rant they find dead on the beach, and if necessary make a 

 sketch of the form of the naked skin on the head, so that we 

 may get some accurate data as to the real distribution of these 

 common birds. 



5ula serrator. Australian Gannet. — This species was seen 

 ofif the West Australian coast about two hours before Rottnest 

 Island was sighted on July 6, 1921, and others were seen near 

 Rottnest. A few were seen in Moreton Ray, Queensland, in 

 August, and numbers were diving off the coast opposite the 

 R.A.O.U. camp in northern New South Wales in October, when 

 one would have expected them to be in Bass Strait breeding, as 

 many of them appeared to be adult. 



Freg-ata minor. Greater Frigate-bird. — Only one authentic 

 specimen of this si)ecies obtained in Australia seems to be on 

 record, x'u.., one ca])tured in Perth (Emu, xvii., p. 238). In the 

 Queensland Museum there is a young bird which was shot by 

 Mr. Colclough at Point Lookout, Stradbroke Island, some years 

 ago. Its plumage agrees precisely with the description of an 

 immature male from New Zealand given in Mathews' and Ire- 

 dale^s Handbook, but the culmen measures 101 mm. 



Frejfata arid. Lesser Frigate-bird. — On October 22nd, 1921, 

 two males of this species flew close over me on the coast at 

 Tweed Heads, New South Wales, giving me an excellent view. 

 The white patches on the sides under the wing at once identified 

 them as of this species. These birds ha\e been said to be fore- 

 runners of storms. Was it only a coincidence that a violent 

 thunderstorm accompanied by strong scjually wind occurred a 

 few hours afterwards? As far as I have been able to ascertain, 

 the species has not prcviouslv been met with in New South 

 Wales. 



