Vol. XVII 

 19/7 



1 Macgillivray, Ornithologists in North Queensland. 6? 



Noddies {Anoiis stolidus). Lesser Crested Terns [Sterna media), 

 and a Frigate-Bird (Tachypetes ariel) perched on some dark coral 

 rocks on our starboard side. We progressed very slowly, and 

 did not sight the Raine Island tower till after mid-day, and did 

 not land till just before sunset, when the multitude of birds on 

 the island and in the air above it were making a babel of noises. 

 About thirty turtles were crawling up the beach near where we 

 landed, and the shallow water contained hundreds of them. 

 Whilst coming slowly up to our anchorage these reptiles passed 

 closely by our boat every minute at varying depths, and our 

 black crew, clustered on the bow of the vessel, amused themselves 

 by watching for them and diving down upon them to see which 

 one would be able to grasp the animal by its shoulders, and, by 

 tilting it up, make it swim to the surface, when it would be let 

 go, the frightened animal making off at a terrific rate, whilst the 

 boys, amidst much laughter, would swim to the boat, clamber up, 

 and wait for the next one. When we landed they amused them- 

 selves by jumping on the backs of the turtles and riding them 

 down into the water until their mounts gained a swimming depth. 

 We remained on the islet for eight days, absorbingly interested 

 in its wonderful bird-life during the day and tormented at night 

 by the nesting turtles, who would persist in trying to walk over 

 or under our sleeping shelter. 



The lugger returned, and we went on board and steered a 

 course to the north till we passed through the Great Barrier again. 

 Several small sand-banks were passed, at one of which we 

 anchored and went ashore. This is mostly used by turtles for 

 breeding purposes. The bank is a quarter of a mile long and 

 about half as broad, and the whole surface is ploughed up by the 

 tracks and pits of the reptiles, and the air is redolent with the 

 odour of the dead. A small colony of about twenty Masked 

 Gannets had large young, and a few Brown Gannets had either 

 yoimg or eggs. At one end a considerable colony of Sterna hergii 

 were nesting, all having eggs, mostly fresh. Many of the eggs 

 must be broken by turtles ; it is really wonderful that any escape. 

 We returned to the boat, and were interested for the rest of the 

 day in watching our native crew fishing for beche-de-mer, and 

 afterwards the process of turning the sea-slugs into a marketable 

 commodity. In the moonlight we noticed thousands of turtles 

 climbing the sand- bank, their wet backs gleaming with phos- 

 phorescence as they leave the water. Next day, the 13th 

 December, our departure was delayed by an absence of wind. 

 Our crew did some fishing for slugs. We then sailed slowly 

 southward along the Reef for some time, and anchored at a small 

 sand-bank whilst some of the crew went over to the Barrier for 

 beche-de-mer. They returned at dark with their load. 



On the following day we sailed along till we emerged from the 

 reef on the Pacific side, and coasted along it till we came to a 

 narrow opening through which the water races. On passing 

 through we could see the corals of the reef on either side of us. 



