l86 M.\CG\hLivRAY, Ornithologists in North Queensland. [j^fXprii 



Ninox boobook (Spiloglaux boobook macgillivrayi). — Mr. M'Lennan 

 repeatedly heard a Boobook Owl calling after dark on the Pascoe 

 River, but did not obtain a specimen. We did not hear any on the 

 Claudia. On the Archer River Mr. M'Lennan also heard its call. 

 This bird is probably the same as those obtained by Mr. M'Lennan 

 on the Jardine River and at Lockerbie. 



Ninox rufa {Rhabdoglaux queenslandica). — On first arriving at the 

 Claudie, Mr. M'Lennan wrote of the Rufous Owl : — " Heard an Owl 

 calling on the river below the camp about 9 p.m. I imitated the call, 

 and the bird flew into a tree near by. I shot it and identified it. The 

 call is a soft, low-pitched, measured, and deep ' Hooo-hooo,' repeated 

 at intervals." He heard the call frequently after this, and came 

 across the bird in the scrub. Almost every night after our arrival 

 on the Claudie we heard this bird calling, and by imitating the call 

 Mr. M'Lennan could bring the bird by degrees, answering his call each 

 time and in a softer tone. On one occasion it flew right into the tree 

 over our tent, but left quickly on detecting our presence. It, how- 

 ever, soon replied to the imitated call, but would not venture as near 

 again. One day we flushed a pair roosting together in the scrub, 

 and obtained one for skinning ; its stomach contained the remains of 

 a mantis. Under the skin of the head and in the orbit were worm- 

 like parasites; Mr. M'Lennan obtained two specimens on the Archer 

 River in 1914. On the 30th July, 1914, he made this note : — • 

 " Ninox rufa was calling again this morning. It came across the river 

 near the camp after daylight, and was hunting for food about the 

 mangroves and scrub. After breakfast I hunted round to see if I 

 could find the nesting hollow ; examined all trees within a mile radius 

 of the camp, but did not see a suitable one." 



Strix delicatula {Tyto flaminea delicatula). — Mr. M'Lennan found the 

 Delicate Owl fairly common on the Archer and Watson Rivers. He 

 noted on the 25 th April, 191 5, on the Watson River : — " Went out 

 at 8 p.m. to look for C3wls ; heard one call, and located it on a dry tree 

 at the edge of the mangroves. Kept uttering the call at intervals, 

 and another bird came along and tried to perch on my head." 



This bird has another call besides the harsh, hissing screech — a sharp, 

 grating note similar to that of a tame Hawk when you try to take 

 his food away. 



Tyto galei. — This specimen, obtained by Mr. M'Lennan on the 

 Pascoe River on i6th July, 191 3, may prove to be only a variation 

 of T. flaminea delicatula. His note on it is as follows : — " Heard an 

 Owl (5. delicatiila) scream about 9 p.m. I imitated the call a few 

 times ; the bird came along and perched on a dead tree near the camp." 



Strix novse-hollandiae {Tyto novcehollandice). — We heard the call 

 of the Masked Owl on our first night at our top camp on the Claudie, 

 and three weeks later we obtained a specimen flushed from a tree in 

 an open tea-tree and Pandanus flat. A second one, flushed on the 

 following day, sought refuge in the scrub. We heard their call on 

 several nights afterwards. 



Trichoglossus septentrionalis {T. novt^hollandics septentrionalis). — 

 We arrived at Lloyd's Island at night, and early on our first morning 

 we were witnesses of the extraordinary number of the Blue-bellied 

 Lorikeets flying off from the mangroves which border the sheltered 

 side of the island, where they roost for the night in company with 



