2 Campbell and Barnard, Birds of N. Queensland. [jnd'juiy 



Birds of the Rockingham Bay District, North 



Queensland. 



By A. J. Campbell and H. G. Barnard, Ms. R.A.O.U. 



In The Emu, vol. x. (1910), pp. 233-245, there is a list with field 

 annotations on the " Birds of Cardwell and Herbert River 

 Districts," by the late Mr. Kendall Broad bent. Zoological Collector, 

 Queensland Museum, made during a trip extending from August, 

 1888, to March, 1889. 



Previously, in the " Proceedings Zoological Society (London)," 

 years 1875-1877, the late Dr. E. P. Ramsay contributed articles on 

 a " List of Birds Met With in North-Eastern Queensland, chiefly at 

 Rockingham Bay," during a trip made in 1873. Ed. Spalding also 

 collected for Dr. Ramsay in 1874 on the Herbert. 



Messrs. A. J. Campbell, A. Gulliver, and A. and F. Coles, as a 

 collecting and observing party, visited Cardwell in 1885. The 

 first-named returned again in 1914; and our member, Mr. E. J. 

 Banfield, contributes in his " Confessions " " A Census of the Birds 

 of Dunk Island," which place guards the northern gateway of 

 Rockingham Bay. With all this data to hand, the question may 

 be asked, " Why the necessity of another collecting and observing 

 excursion to the region ? " 



(i.) The existing data is scattered, and much merely superficial. 

 (2.) The region is physically rich, and the avine population 

 numerous, therefore the locality is not likely to be exhausted 

 during a lifetime. 



(3.) And, what is more important, the classification of birds and 

 the question, " What are species and what sub-species ? " are so 

 confused in these latter days that enthusiasts are tempted to 

 take the field to throw as much light as possible upon these 

 problems. Besides, there is the pardonable satisfaction, in the 

 singleness of mind, of establishing points and passing them on, in 

 the interests of ornithology. Moreover, as an eminent judge once 

 said, " He who judges last judges best." Perchance it may be so 

 in some instances of our researches. 



We (A. J. Campbell, observer and photographer, and H. G. 

 Barnard, observer and collector, acting for Mr. H. L. White, 

 " Belltrees," N.S.W.), armed with full authority from the Govern- 

 ment of Queensland to investigate bird-life, and to procure 

 specimens if necessary, landed at Cardwell 31st July, 1916. The 

 Government was also good enough to encourage us by offering to 

 provide a cicerone to assist us in our explorations had we required 

 one. Our best thanks are also due to Messrs. J. S. Gill (Goold 

 Island), James Curtis and T. R. Butler (Upper Murray), and E. D. 

 Collins (Kirrama Table-land), and others, for kind, thoughtful, and 

 valuable assistance rendered during our explorations. 



Our first day afield at Cardwell was the ist August (the 

 Australian Bird-lovers' "New Year's Day" — a happy omen for the 

 success and pleasure of the trip), when, in and around the township 



