q6 Alexander, WliUe-winged Black Terns in W.A. [i^i^'oct. 



The writer spent Easter, 1917, on a yacht at Careening Bay, 

 Garden Island, off the coast of Western Australia, about 12 miles 

 south of Fremantle. On Easter Saturday we experienced a very 

 strong easterly blow, which was at its height in the late afternoon 

 and evening. First thing the following morning a small Tern, 

 in immature plumage, was found sitting in the dinghy, and on 

 being approached tried to defend itself by pecking, but did not 

 attempt to fly away. Some half an hour later it was thrown 

 up into the air and flew off along the shore. Later in the morning 

 we landed on the island, and in a bay at the southern end found 

 a party of Terns hovering over the shore catching the large 

 dragon-flies, Hemianax papiiensis, which were exceptionally 

 numerous amongst the shrubs on the island. When first seen 

 from an adjacent hill these birds at once attracted attention 

 owing to their very white tails, which were spread out in a fan- 

 shape while they hovered. When closely approached and seen 

 from below some of them were found to have black and white 

 speckled bodies and a conspicuous black patch under the wings, 

 similar in shape to that seen in the Letter-winged Kite ; others 

 were in the same immature plumage as our visitor of the morning. 

 During the rest of the holiday these birds were co.nstantly noticed 

 along the coast, and on the following evening one settled on the 

 deck of the yacht just at dusk, and allowed itself to be caught. 

 It was placed in a hamper with the intention of taking it back 

 to Fremantle alive, but next morning it was found to be dead. 

 Subsequent examination showed that it had died from starvation, 

 the stomach and intestines being absolutely empty. 



On my return to Perth I learnt from Mr. O. Lipfert, taxidermist 

 to the Museum, that he had seen these birds at Monger's Lake, 

 close to Perth, and that among them he had had a good view 

 of one bird entirely black except for the grey and white wings 

 and white tail. I also heard from Mr. T. P. Draper, K.C., who 

 had been spending the holidays near Mandurah, on Peel's Inlet, 

 some 40 miles south of Perth, that there were hundreds of the 

 birds on tliat inlet, and he brought a specimen which he had shot 

 for identification. 



Subsequently, I inserted a notice in the paper pointing out the 

 rarity of these birds in Australia, and asking for information as 

 to the localities in which they had been seen. The replies 

 received may be summarized as follows : — 



Mr. J. A. Waldeck, of Moora (about 100 miles north of Perth), 

 writes that he saw the birds " on the coast west of Moora, at a 

 place called Wedge Island, and for 12 miles inland, during Easter 

 week." " We saw nothing of the bird on the way out, or at the 

 coast till Sunday morning. On the way home on Monday they 

 were very numerous, especially in the coastal hills ; the last we 

 saw at a swamp 12 miles inland." 



Mr. F. F. Isele, of Wanneroo, says that the birds were seen on 

 the Mariginiup Lake, 5 miles from the coast and. lyh miles north 

 of Perth, in considerable numbers, also on Craigie Lake, 12 miles 



