^°''i^iV^'l Whitlock, Notes on North-lVeslern Birds. ^7Q 



. Shore-birds were not plentiful, tmd only comprised species common 

 to our North-West coast. 



The only sea-birds were a pair or two of Caspian Terns {Hydro- 

 pvogne caspia) and a flock of the common Silver Gull ; but on Double 

 Island a colony of the Wedge-tailed Petrel (Puffinus sphenurus) were 

 breeding, and I obtained a few eggs after much laborious digging out 

 of burrow nests. 



The smaller islands and islets of Dampier Archipelago, though 

 very numerous, closely . resemble one another in physical feeitures. 

 As a rule they are very low, long, and narrow. The shore on the 

 land side is generally sandy, and on the ocean side rocky and often 

 wild, low cliffs. The cliffs on one or two islands are tenanted by the 

 Dampier Cockatoo (Cacatua sangtunea) during the breeding season. 

 I was informed that two eggs only are laid in holes and recesses in 

 the cliffs, but occasionally pairs will breed in hollow spouts where there 

 are large mangroves. On several of the islands I saw pairs of the 

 Long-billed Stone-Curlew, but I failed to find eggs, despite much 

 systematic seaixhing. Terns were seen in small flocks, apparently 

 travelling to some breeding-grounds further north. At one island 

 near Cossack a party of Frigate-Birds was sailing about overhead. 

 Black-breasted Gannets, too, were seen plunging after their prey in 

 the neighbourhood of other islands, but no breeding colonies of any 

 sea-birds were discovered. 



Black-and-White Wren of Barrow Island, W.A, — With Govern- 

 ment sanction, I commissioned Mr. F. L. Wliitlock to visit Barrow 

 Island for museum specimens of the Black-and-White Wren ; 

 also, if possible, to procure its nest and eggs. Unfortunately, he 

 did not succeed in finding eggs, but the following is a description 

 of a nest : — Dome-shaped, with side entrance near top ; composed 

 of broken blades of dry grass, grass rootlets, and profusely matted 

 with light-coloured, brown, fine silky substance, probably portions 

 of spiders' egg-cocoons. There is also a sprinkling of similar white 

 material and a small, single, white downy feather. Dimensions. — 

 Six inches long by 3 inches broad ; entrance, if by i| inches across ; 

 depth, inside, from lower lip of entrance, about zh inches. — H. L. 

 White. Belltrees, N.S.W. 



Long Flights by Birds. — A Thrush was caught at Southport, 

 England, recently with a ring on its leg marked " Inform Witherby, 

 High Holborn, London." Mr. H. F. Witherby, who is the editor 

 of British Birds, has, since 1910, had 75,000 birds so marked in 

 the hope of learning something about their travels. A Swallow 

 ringed in Lancashire was found seven months later at Grahams- 

 town, South Africa, 6,000 miles away. A Lesser Black-backed 

 Gull, ringed at the Fame Islands, off Northumberland, was found 

 eight months later at St. Louis, Senegal, and a Blackbird, ringed 

 at London, was found in Moscow a few weeks afterwards. It 

 would seem that birds are greater travellers than most of us 

 imagine. 



