66 Macgillivray, Ornithologists in North Queensland. [,<;f''^ct. 



and 5. bergii. The island is clothed with a dense growth of a 

 succulent stunted tree covering the greater part of its top, coarse 

 grass and herbage on the slopes and lower part, the south end 

 being rocky, with many boulders round the water's edge and a 

 small beach of coral sand at the north end. A Grey Reef-Heron 

 was flushed from a nest amid the rocks ; two small land birds, 

 Myiagra concinna and Zoster ops albiventer, were noted. Terns 

 hovered constantly overhead, with a few Frigate-Birds floating 

 above all. After a thorough search of the island we rejoined our 

 boat and set sail for the Forbes Group, lying in a north-westerly 

 direction. There was little wind, however, and our passage was 

 very slow, as the trade winds were dying away, and the monsoons, 

 which bring the rainy season along with them, had not set in. 

 It soon became dark, but we enjoyed every minute of the lovely 

 tropic night, with its clear sky and rippling, phosphorescent sea, 

 as we sat in the stern and listened to the soft musical voices of 

 our aboriginal crew as one after the other they sang or chanted 

 their native songs, all joining at times in the choruses, keeping 

 time with a rhythmical beating of their hands or a stick, according 

 to the effect they wished to produce. 



We made the main island of the group late, and anchored off 

 the shore opposite one of Mr. Giblett's depots for curing the 

 beche-de-mer. All our crew went ashore, and we to bed on deck. 

 Next morning we were awake early to explore the island, which 

 is the largest of the group. It rises to about 200 feet above the 

 sea, is rocky, covered with coarse grass and herbage, with a thick 

 growth of trees and shrubs in the sheltered valleys. There is a 

 fine fresh-water spring near the house. Sun-Birds, Zosterops 

 albiventer, and Myiagra concinna were the only birds noted. 



We started early, but made only slow progress, anchoring at night 

 in the open sea in 20 fathoms of water, and next day made the 

 Ashmore Banks late in the afternoon, anchoring off No. 2 after 

 dark. Next morning we made for No. 3 Bank, over which a great 

 crowd of birds was hovering ; these proved to be mostly Sterna 

 bergii and Sitla lencogaster, both nesting. After spending some 

 time on the bank taking photographs and making notes, we went 

 on board the lugger and set sail for the Gi"eat Barrier Reef. As 

 there was very little wind progress was slow, and we did not 

 anchor till sunset. We were sheltered by the Reef, upon whose 

 outer ramparts the Pacific was breaking with a continuous dull 

 roar, which soothed all to sleep except Mr. M'Lennan, who, having 

 contracted dengue fever after we started, found the hard planks 

 of the deck far from restful to his aching bones. We awoke to 

 admire a lovely sunrise over the Reef, and got ready to move, 

 when a killer whale came to inspect us, blowing first but 200 yards 

 away on our port side, then down and up till within 20 feet of 

 our boat, when, after a final inspection, and much to our relief, 

 he dived under our keel, making a great swirl in the water, and 

 disappeared. A few Brown Gannets visited us at intervals as 

 we went through the Raine Island Entrance, and we noted 



