Vol. III. 

 1903 



Carter, Birds Occurring in the Region of N.W. Cape. 33 



to hear the native laugh. He was quite unhurt, but had badly torn his 

 clothes. Had we fallen together we should have been both seriously injured. 

 The previous year we had taken two eggs on 21st June from a nest on the 

 opposite side of the creek. 



Two eggs are the clutch, and they are laid late in June or early in July. 

 If the eggs are taken the nest is forsaken. Sometimes the nest, which is 

 usually a very large structure, about 5 feet across, is placed in the fork 

 of a stunted tree only 10 or 12 feet from the ground. An immature bird 

 on one occasion gave long chase to a tame Straw-necked Ibis at the house, 

 but the Ibis was much the better flyer, and evaded capture. 



(7). HALIASTUR GIRRENERA (White-headed Sea-Eagle). — This pretty Eagle 

 is common on the coast in summer months, and in the early morning 

 three or four pairs could be seen playing or fighting in circles above the 

 Yardie Creek, uttering their peculiar cry, which resembles that of a Peacock. 

 It also was occasionally seen at flooded inland country 25 miles from the 

 sea. They disappear from about August to November, doubtless to breed 

 in the mangroves of Exmouth Gulf. Last summer a nest was found in 

 a dense patch of mangroves near the N.W. Cape which must have been 

 built by a pair of these birds. It was a little larger than a Crow's nest, 

 well hidden, and the ground below was littered with fragments of yellow 

 land-crabs, on which they largely feed. On several occasions I have found 

 these birds poisoned by eating bait laid for wild dogs. 



(8.) HALIASTUR SPHENURUS (Whistling Eagle). — This Eagle is fairly 

 common about the inland creeks, where it may be seen soaring for long 

 periods at great elevations, and it is a difficult bird to shoot. It feeds 

 largely on Ducks. A bird was picked up near the house on the coast 

 in a very emaciated condition on 21st February, 1898, after a night of 

 prolonged thunderstorm. It had several yellow land-crabs in its gizzard. 

 The nest is usually in the main fork of a large white gum. Several 

 nests with eggs (usually two) have been taken about the middle of July 

 in various years. Three eggs were once found in a nest. 



(9.) GYPOICTINIA MELANOSTERNA (Black-breasted Buzzard). — I have no 

 record of having shot one of these birds, but when in Perth Museum in 

 January, 1903, I saw a mounted specimen labelled Point Cloates, 1900. 

 On making inquiries I was assured that the bird had been sent with a 

 parcel of duplicates forwarded by me, and suppose I had inadvertently 

 overlooked it. 



(10.) MlLVUS AFFINIS (Kite, Pad-oon). — The Kite occurs commonly inland 

 in good seasons, but seldom visits the coast. In 1900 they were very 

 numerous, and when driving inland three or four of them would accompany 

 the buggy to feed on the grasshoppers disturbed out of the grass by its 

 passage. They would flit so close to the horses' heads as to make them 

 startled and nervous. The nests are usually built on horizontal boughs 

 of gum trees. The clutch is usually two (occasionally three) eggs, laid 

 in July. Several nests containing eggs were taken 19th to 22nd July, 

 1900. 



(11.) ELANUS AXILLARIS (Black-shouldered Kite). — This bird only 

 visited us at long intervals. During the drought of 1891 many were 

 seen on the coast. Considerable numbers would sleep every night on 

 two or three stunted trees near the house, and several birds were picked 

 up dead, in emaciated condition. Their next appearance was in 1900, 

 when they were fairly common on the coast and inland, but exceedingly 

 wary to shoot. A pair of them reared a brood of young in a wattle 



