236 ^>«v leathers. [Jf™^, 



the edible qualities of the young birds and eggs or from a desire 

 to have the birds periodically visiting our coast for breeding 

 purposes, it will be satisfactory to know that within the last 

 few years a rookery has been formed on Griffith Island, near 

 Port Fairy. It is formed on the sand dunes to the south-westward 

 of the island, which is covered with tea-tree and undergrowth, 

 the highest point being 74 feet above sea level. When on a 

 visit last month to the lighthouse situated on the easterly point 

 of the island, I observed that there appeared to be tracks cut in 

 the tea-tree scrub running towards the summit of the dunes, 

 which, viewed from a distance, appear to have curious notches 

 in their sky-line, similar to what might have been formed by 

 surveyors cutting away the undergrowth for lines of fences. 

 These tracks have been formed by the birds running to the 

 summit of the dunes each morning for the purpose of taking 

 flight in accordance with custom during the nesting season. 

 This rookery should increase in extent if it remain undisturbed, 

 as the island appears in every way suitable as a breeding-place 

 for the birds. — C. W. Maclean. Ports and Harbours Office, 

 Melbourne, 30/12/03. 



Kurrajoxg (Gladstone, Q.) Notes. — This is a splendid year- 

 plenty of grass and water, and everything rolling fat. We have 

 had about 20 inches of rain so far, and I think they have had 

 more at Coomooboolaroo. The common Bronzewing (Pkaps 

 chalcoptcra) has laid right through this year, as I found a nest 

 on 22nd February with small young ones ; on 9th May a young 

 bird on the nest just able to fly ; on 16th August I took a per- 

 fectly fresh egg from a nest in a leafy ironbark ; and again on 

 2 1st October I saw a bird sitting, but did not climb the tree to 

 investigate. I have at last seen a Wonga's (Leucosarcia picata) 

 nest. It contained two heavily incubated eggs, in a tall brigalow 

 (acacia), about 40 feet from the ground. Both birds were at 

 the nest. On the same day, 7th October, I rooted a Brush- 

 Turkey's (Talegallus) nest, and found sixteen eggs in various 

 stages of incubation. Most probably there were more in the 

 nest, as I only burrowed about three-quarters of it ; but I con- 

 sidered I had a very fair share, so left the rest to hatch. I found 

 a Black-throated Grebe's (Podia pes novce-hollandice) nest attached 

 to a snag in a dam, only about 7 or 8 feet from the bank. On 

 wading in I discovered three tiny fluffy chicks in the nest, covered 

 over in the same manner as the bird. covers her eggs when an 

 intruder approaches. They were too frightened to keep still, 

 hence betrayed themselves by jumping off the nest into the water 

 as I drew near. Although they were very young (we judged 

 them as being about two days old) they were able to dive about 

 15 feet ; and as the water was very shallow and clear, we were 

 able to keep them in sight the whole time. — E. D. BARNARD. 

 1 7/ 1 1/03. 



