Vol. XVII, 



1918 



] Macgillivray, Ornithologists in North Queensland. 183 



191 1, found several nests. The first, containing an egg, was a 

 depression in the sand at the back of a fair-sized cave, 20 feet long, 

 12 feet broad, and 4 feet high, the opening being 9 feet across by 

 i|- feet high. Seven nests were found, three containing each one 

 fresh egg, and there were young in the others ; two contained small 

 young, the other half-grown young. 



When I visited the islet in December, 191 3, these birds were still 

 nesting ; only one nest, however, contained an egg, the others young 

 birds, from downy young to fully-feathered birds. The down of the 

 nestling is long, fluffy, and smoky-grey. The feathers showing first 

 are the primaries and scapulars ; these are black and white, in 

 transverse bars. When fully feathered this barring is general on 

 the upper surface. No nest is made, the birds simply sitting in a 

 depression in the soft sand forming the floor of the cave or recess. 



On one occasion, when we were examining a sitting bird, another 

 bird flew up, and, after circling round near us several times, flew 

 into the pit and alighted at the mouth of the cave. The birds cannot 

 stand or walk, but shuffle along the ground ; they can, however, rise 

 readily from the ground by means of their wings alone. When 

 flying the tail is outspread, the two red central tail feathers kept 

 apart, and the feet kept outspread on either side of the tail. The 

 plumage of the male is of a more distinctly beautiful roseate hue than 

 that of the female ; this tinting fades from cabinet specimens. 



They only come out of their caves to fly about the island at certain 

 times of the day, and then only for an hour or more ; this seems to be 

 about noon and at about 4 p.m. Their flight reminds one somewhat 

 of that of a Pigeon. They utter a grunting call when flying about 

 the island, but this is muc"h harsher when they are disturbed on their 

 nests. The young seem able to swallow fairly large fish ; a downy 

 young one that we handled disgorged a fish 6 inches long by i-|- inches 

 in witdh. Flying-fish seem to be the usual food of this bird. 



Pelecanus conspicillatus (Catoptropelecanus conspicillatus con- 

 spicillatiis). — When on our return journey we noted, on the 3rd 

 February, numbers of these birds nesting on one of the Howick 

 group of islands. 



Circus gouldi (Civciis approximans gouldi). — Mr. M'Lennan notes 

 the common Harrier as occasional about the Archer River swamps. 



Astur Dovse-hollandiae {Leucospiza clara cooktowni, Leucospiza 

 novcehollandice novcBliollandice). — On the 7th Noveinber we examined 

 a nest of the White Goshawk placed high (about 120 feet) on a 

 deciduous tree in the scrub. Mr. M'Lennan went up 70 feet on a 

 rope ladder and then climbed by means of steps cut with a tomahawk. 

 This nest contained two eggs. A Sulphur-crested Cockatoo had her 

 two young in a hollow, and several Shining Starlings were starting 

 their nests in the same tree. On the following day we flushed a 

 Grey Goshawk from her nest high in a paper-bark {^Melaleuca). Two 

 days later Mr. M'Lennan pointed out another Grey Goshawk's nest 

 in a tall scrub tree, in which there was a Calornis colony and a hollow 

 occupied by Eclectus ; this nest was at a height of 92 feet, and also 

 contained two eggs. The bird was flushed from the nest. On the" 

 14th November Mr. M'Lennan and I went to get a Goshawk's nest 

 70 feet up in a Melaleuca on the edge of the scrub ; two eggs were 

 also in this nest. We waited and shot the female, a grey bird, then 

 waited on for a long time for the male, until our patience gave way 



