Vol. III. 

 1904 



Carter, Birds Occurring in the Region of N.W. Cape. 20Q 



the dingy. It was in line plumage and apparently uninjured, except at 

 the point of the wing, but was in a very emaciated condition. I could 

 not quite make it tally with the description of T. chlororhynchus, but 

 marked the thing so, as it seemed to be nearest that species. However, 

 the Hon. Walter Rothschild, who afterwards procured the skin, described 

 it as new, under the above name, at the meeting of the British Orni- 

 thologists' Union, 21st October, 1903. [Extract Bulletin :—" Differs from 

 T. chlororhynchus in having the bill, including the culmen, black, the 

 face and sides of the head white, without the grey tinge of chlororhynchus, 

 and the feet yellowish-white in life, without any blackish colour on the' 

 digits and tarsi. (Bill and irides black, legs and feet yellowish-white.)" 

 Several other Albatrosses of different species were found dead on the beach 

 at various dates, but too much decomposed for identification. I have seen 

 specimens on the wing outside the reefs, but never succeeded in shooting 

 any. It is to be hoped the new species will be confirmed, and its breeding 

 locality traced. 



(152.) GERONTICUS SPINICOLLIS (Straw-necked Ibis).— As far as I can 

 ascertain, the first record of this species in the district was in May, 1888, 

 when numbers suddenly appeared, and neither natives nor settlers knew 

 the bird, but Mr. J. Brockman informed me he had seen and shot a 

 specimen some years earlier. After the break-up of the 1889-91 drought 

 immense numbers were to be seen over the country. For some weeks 

 they used to roost in thousands on some bare sand-drift hummocks 

 behind the house at Point Cloates. In October, 1900, some hundreds 

 of these birds bred and reared their young at Cardabia Creek, about 60 

 miles south-east from Point Cloates, and this is, I believe, the first record 

 of this species having bred in Western Australia. Their presence would 

 probably have been overlooked, but two of my natives were sent with a 

 bullock cart to find an iron water tank which had been washed down the 

 creek by floods. They evidently had a good time with the colony of birds, 

 as they returned after two days with scores of eggs in the tank, and said 

 plenty more were left—" Can't finish 'urn," as they regretfully expressed 

 the situation. As soon as possible after hearing the news I drove across, 

 but some time had elapsed, and on my arrival almost all the young birds 

 had left the nests, and only addled eggs were left, of which we secured a 

 score. There was then no water nearer than a quarter of a mile, as it 

 had dried rapidly. The nests were mostly built on low bushes flattened 

 down by the flood — some bushes containing five or six, all interbuilt — and 

 were lined with white-gum leaves. Some nests were made on the ground. 

 I told the boy to secure some of the young birds which were flapping and 

 running about, but ought to have known that unless specially ordered 

 he would kill all as soon as caught. However, one was secured alive and 

 taken home, where it speedily became quite tame and a most amusing and 

 useful pet. It had full liberty, and was speedily champion of the poultry 

 yard, the fowls, ducks, and even cats and dogs, fearing its long beak. After 

 a time it became great friends with a young kangaroo dog. The dog would 

 take a bone and partially swallow it ; then lie down with open mouth, 

 when the Ibis would put its beak down the dog's throat, pull out the bone, 

 and run off with it. The dog would follow, and, after a mock combat, 

 return with the bone and again swallow it for the bird to extract, and 

 they would so play until the dog was tired, and, lying down to sleep, the 

 Ibis would mount guard over it, preen its fur with beak, and snap viciously at 

 anyone approaching. It rarely missed a meal-time, but marched up when 

 the table was laid for its share of food, and would snap one's hand, or pluck 

 at one's trousers with its beak until something was given to it. At other 



