1 fs^ " 1 Macgillivray, Ornithologists in North Queensland. I45 



Vol. XVI 



19 



Ornithologists in North Queensland. 



By Captain (Dr.) W. Macgillivray, President of the R.A.O.U. 



Part II. 



(Edicnemus grallarius {Burhinus magniroslris ramsayi). — The 

 plaintive wailing of this bird was occasionally heard from our camp 

 on the Claudie. Mr. M'Lennan noted them as plentiful near the 

 Archer River, and that he flushed a flock of about 20 from amongst 

 the rushes and low tea-tree. 



Esacus magnirostris (Orthorhaynphiis magniroslris neglectus). — On 

 the 1st July, 19 1 3, Mr. M'Lennan flushed a pair of these birds from 

 some bushes on the Macarthur Islands, where they were preparing a 

 nest. We noted a pair on the Sir Charles Hardy Islands, and another 

 pair on Haggerstone. They are very shy birds, and run or fly ofif 

 when one attempts to approach them. 



Choriotis australis {Ausfrotis anstralis derbyij. — Mr. ^M'Lennan 

 flushed one of these birds on the 24th July, when at the Pascoe River ; 

 it was in low, undulating country, covered with stunted tea-tree 

 brush, banksia, waftle, and other small trees. During September 

 and October he frequently disturbed them on an open grassy flat 

 across the Claudie River from the camp — sometimes as many as 

 fourteen at a time. They appeared to be feeding on caterpillars. 



Out towards the ranges from our top camp on the Claudie, on a 

 small stony hill covered with stunted scrub, Mr. M'Lennan showed 

 us a Bustard's nest — a small, bare patch on the hard ground — from 

 which he had flushed the mother bird on the 30th October ; it then 

 contained a single hatching egg. On our return to camp we flushed 

 a pair from the grassy flat in front of it. They flapped their way out 

 over the scrub, uttering hoarse barking cries. On the Archer River 

 Mr. M'Lennan noted only one. 



Antigone australasiana (Mathewsia rubicauda argentea). — Noted on 

 several occasions, either flying overhead or feeding in grassy flats or 

 rush-covered, shallow tea-tree swamps. Mr. M'Lennan states that 

 they are numerous on the swamps about the Archer River, a flock 

 of 100 being no uncommon sight. 



Ibis molucca (Threskiornis molucca stictipennis). — Mr. M'Lennan 

 noted this species once on the Pascoe River, and a small flock on a 

 tea-tree swamp on the Claudie. He also found them in numbers on 

 the swamps along the Archer and Watson Rivers. 



Carpliibis spinicollis (C. spinicollis). — This bird was not noted on the 

 Claudie, but Mr. M'Lennan found it in numbers on the Archer and 

 Watson River swamps. 



Plegadis falcinellus (P. falcinellus). — Mr. M'Lennan came across 

 numbers of these birds on the Watson River swamps, and, according 

 to the natives, they nested in a swamp about three days' journey 

 from where he was camped. 



Platalea regia {Spatherodia regia). — Mr. M'Lennan flushed seven 

 Royal Spoonbills from the mangroves half a mile from the mouth 

 of the Claudie in October. They were numerous on the Watson 

 and Archer River swamps. 



Xenorliynclius asiaticus {X. a. australis). — On his arrival at the 

 Claudie, in September, Mr. M'Lennan found it tenanted by a pair of 



