142 'Slwcii.LivHW , No/t's oil Some N. Queensland Birds. [,^^""1",, 



appear to be, and when descending ihcy sweep down, passing and 

 repassing one another on the way. 



Sterna melanauchen. Black-naped Tern. — A common bird on the 

 reefs and islands about Cape York It nests in October and November 

 on Bushy Island, Torres Strait, and also in lesser numbers on Kypenny 

 Island, 2 miles from Somerset. Also noted, but not breeding, in July, 

 191 1, on the ;\Iacarthur and Bird Islands. 



Onychoprion anaestheta. Bridled Tern. — This graceful species is often 

 seen in the vicinity of Torres Strait. It breeds under the shelving 

 rocks of Bush}' Island, fresh eggs being found early in October and 

 November. On Channel Rock, Torres Strait, this was the only 

 species found breeding, fully fledged young being noted on the loth 

 November. 



Onychoprion fuliginosa. Sooty Tern. — Found nesting in numbers on 

 Oyster Cay, Cairns, on 14th December, 190c;. At Raine Island, in 

 July, 191 1, they were nesting in tens of thousands all over the island 

 On the 27th July, iqii, gixat numbers were also noted on Bramble 

 , Cay, and two small colonies of fledged young. To show the variation 

 in size, before skinning one bird measured in length 152 inches and 

 the other 17 inches ; both were males. 



Anous stolidus. Noddy. — Several flocks seen on Ihe Bii-d Islands 

 in July, loii, and in the same month they wei^e nesting all over Raine 

 Island. An old nesting-site was found on a sand-bank 6 miles 

 east of the Bird Islands. At Bramble Cay they were also very 

 numerous. 



Anous leucocapillus. White-capped Noddy. — There is a nesting- 

 place of this Tern on an island near Darnley Island, in Torres Strait, 

 the nests being placed on the trees. This was described to Mr. 

 jNI'Lennan, but not visited by him. A dead specimen was found on 

 the Bird Islands. 



Larus novae-hollandiae. Silver Gull. — This Gull is a common object 

 on all the northern islands. A few were found nesting on Tuesday 

 Rock, Torres Strait, on 21st June. 191 1. On the Macarthur Islands 

 a few were breeding on ist July, 191 1. On the Bird Islands, on the 

 same date, a small colony was found breeding. Most of the nests 

 contained young about i_|. days old. On the return journey, \y days 

 later, fresh nests were found on the Bird Islands, on a small grassy 

 patch. Old nests from which the young had gone were noted on a 

 small rocky islet near Peak Point. 



Haematopus longirostris. Pied Oyster-catcher. — This species is 

 tolerably common on the islands near Cape York. Two nests were 

 found on an exposed coral ridge of the Macarthur Islands on the 

 i8th July, 191 1 : another on the 19th on the second island of the 

 Hannibal group — this was also on a coral ridge, amongst stunted 

 trees ; and again one similarly situated on Cairncross Island. 



Haematopus fuliginosus. Black Oyster-catcher. — The Black Oyster- 

 catcher is also common on these islands. Noted on Bushv, Cairn- 

 cross, the Hannibals, Macarthur, and Bird Islands On one of 

 the Bird Islands a nest was found amongst a dense bushy growth 

 on a coral ridge, and one on a second island of (he same group. On 

 Ihe second island of the Hannibals a nest was placed amongst a thick 

 growth of stunted trees on a coral ridge, and again on the second 

 island of the Cairncross group. 



