46 BerNEY, N. Queensland Notes on Some Migratory Birds. [,^""^^1 



They were not hawking for insects, or sunning themselves, but attending 

 strictly to business, keeping a straight line and going north-west. They 

 were at the time crossing open, treeless downs, where as a rule they are 

 never seen. In some data kindly forwarded me by Mr. Smedley it is 

 curious to note that though the Bee-eaters remained here through the 

 winter of 1903 they were quite absent at Homestead that year from May 

 to 29th August. 



KOEL {Eudynaniis cyanocephald) is a rare bird on this part of the 

 Flinders River, being but seldom heard ; its cry, " co'ey, co'ey, co'ey, co'ey, 

 co'ey," uttered most monotonously and finished off now and again with 

 " wo wo wo wo wo wo," is so strange and striking that it could not l)i- 

 passed over without being noticed. In 1902 I first heard it on 17th 

 December, and in 1903 on 27th November. The month of January 

 is my last date. Mr. Smedley writes me from Homestead, on the Cam- 

 paspe River, N.Q., that the Koels had all left that district by i8th May, 

 1903, and did not show up again till 26th August the same year. 



Channelbill (Scythrops novceJiollandio'), or " Storm-Bird," as it is 

 universally called out here, was first heard in 1902 on 3rd December, and 

 in 1903 on 6th November, while Mr. Smedley reports their first appearance 

 at Homestead, on the Campaspe River, on iith September in 1903. My 

 latest date in 1903 is 4th April, while in 1904, although they had practically 

 all gone by the first week in April, yet I heard one on the 29th of that 

 month — an exceptionally late date — and on my expressing surprise, I was 

 told that the young Scythrops had been reared in a Crow's nest close 

 by, and was still following its foster-parents about. 



COUCAL {Centropus phasianus). — From Homestead Mr. Smedley reported 

 on 1 8th October, 1903, that they had not so far shown up. In the autumn 

 of the following year he wrote that the Coucals had all left by i8th May. 

 Personally I have never come across it on the upper parts of the Flinders, 

 and I do not think it ever extends very far from the coast. Homestead 

 is 128 miles east of Townsville. 



Pratincole {Stiltia isabella). — Through the summer they are here in 

 large numbers, but during the winter months they are practically absentees, 

 being represented by only irregular visits of odd birds and small parties, 

 which latter never remain any time. During the winter of 1902 they 

 were, I think, quite absent. In April they leave us, returning again after 

 middle of August. During the past two years I have found eggs or 

 youngsters from December to February. 



Oriental Pratincole (Glareola orientalis). — In the summer of 1902-3 

 the Oriental Pratincole was seemingly behind time, the first occasion 

 I saw it being 2nd January, and I saw none after the middle of February. 

 In the spring of 1903-4 summer they arrived on 5 th November, and for 

 few weeks following were here in large numbers. 



Red-kneed Dottrel {Erythrogonys cinctus). — Saw ten round a small 

 hole on 25th August, 1902, this being my solitary record for two years. 



Orient.JlL Dottrel {Ochthodromus veredus). — Arrived 21st and 22nd 

 September, 1902, and my last note of them in the following autumn was 

 loth March. On 2nd October, 1903, their short, sharp note caught my 

 ear at daylight, and hurrying out I was in time to see three, the first of 

 the season, flash past. Later in the day I saw sixteen more, and those 

 are the only birds I saw that summer. 



Red-capped Dottrel {Aigialitis ruficapilla'). — One solitary bird at a 

 lagoon on 24th March, 1904, is all I have seen of this neat little Dottrel. 



