Iq8 Macgillivray, Oynithologists in Novth Queensland. [i^f a" ii 



tree. The nest was the usual small cup-shaped structure of fine 

 bark, cobwebs, and fibres, with a short tail. A few were noted by 

 Mr. M'Lennan, along the Archer River. He notes : — " These birds 

 do not seem to breed at Cape York. They are numerous there in 

 November, but by December they are all gone. They reappear in 

 February, staying a couple of months, only an odd one being seen 

 after April." 



Rhipidura isura (Seiosura setosa superciliosa). — The Northern Fantail 

 is a bird of the open forest, frequenting the smaller trees. Near the 

 sandalwood landing on the Claudie, where there were small clumps 

 of tea-tree in open forest, we came across several pairs, and an old 

 nest was noted about 20 feet up in a small tree. It was a small cup- 

 shaped structure placed on a horizontal branch, and composed of 

 fine bark and fibres bound together with spider webs. Mr. M'Lennan 

 found a nest 5 feet from the ground in a small wattle in open forest 

 on the 15th December; it contained two slightly incubated eggs. 

 On the Archer River Mr. M'Lennan found this species to be fairly 

 plentiful. 



Myiagra concinna (Myiagra rubecula yorki). — The Blue Flycatcher 

 was a very common bird, mostly found in open forest. They were 

 nearly always feeding in the trees about our camp. They are on 

 nearly all the islands off the coast. We noted them on Quoin Island, 

 the Forbes Group, and the Sir Charles Hardy Islands. On our way 

 out to the Raine Island opening in the Reef, and just before reaching 

 the Ashmore Banks, one of these birds alighted on our boat for a 

 few minutes, and then resumed its flight in the direction of the main- 

 land ; it seemed to have come from the north-east. On Raine Island 

 we also found one sheltering in the tower, on the mor-ning of the 

 loth December, a female ; in the afternoon there were two females 

 in the tower. 



On our return to camp on the Claudie these birds were seen to be 

 very busy in the trees, especially after a fall of rain. 



Myiagra latirostris {M . lativostris kempt). — The Broad-billed Fly- 

 catcher keeps near the shore, and is nearly always found in or near 

 the mangroves. Several pairs were noted on Haggerstone Island. 

 Mr. M'Lennan states that it is always found in the mangroves, finding 

 its living amongst the leaves. They usually build on a dead twig 

 about 2 feet above high-water mark, over a channel in the mangroves. 

 When building the male sits on a chosen twig and calls all the time 

 that the female is away getting material, and on her return he leaves 

 to bring his share of it. Mr. M'Lennan noted this species in the 

 Archer River mangroves. 



Machaerirhynchus flaviventer (M. flaviventer fiavivenier). — Boat- 

 billed Hycatchers live amongst the leaves of the scrub trees, and are 

 difficult of detection. The small basket-like nest is usually placed 

 in a slender horizontal fork amongst the leaves of a scrub tree. The 

 two nests first found were at a height of 30 feet in thick scrub ; one 

 contained two eggs, the other was deserted before completion. 



Mr. M'Lennan and I found two nests on the 20th January in some 

 scrub up the Claudie. Both were at a height of about 60 to 70 feet, 

 and the birds were feeding young in both nests.- W^e noted that the 

 parent bird after each feeding removed the excreta and carried it to 

 some distance from the nest before dropping it. 



Mr. M'Lennan noted a few pairs in the scrub at Archer River. 



