Vol. XIII. 



iyi4 



] Macgillivkay, .Vo/cs on Some N: Queensland Birds. 15^ 



water's edge and started back through the timber, and about 

 lOO yards from the edge of the water I heard the same call, and 

 followed up the sound. I .soon located the bird, a White-bellied 

 Sea-Eagle, sitting beside its nest in a large river gum. It flew off 

 as I approached, and the male flew from a tree near by. Later in 

 the day I climbed to the nest ; it contained one hard-set egg. The 

 nest was very large, and had evidently been used and added to for 

 several years, measuring 6 feet in depth by 8 feet in diameter ; egg 

 cavity, 2 feet across by 6 inches deep. The nest was composed of 

 sticks and lined with green leaves, and placed in a fork at about 

 50 feet from the ground." 



Another nest, found on the Macarthur Islands on the 2nd Julv, 

 iQii, was in a mangrove at a height of 14 feet. This nest measured 

 9 feet by 6 feet in width, 6 feet deep, with an egg chamber i foot 

 across by 9 inches deep. Other nests, mostly containing young, 

 were found on Cairncross, Bushy, and the Bird Islands early in July. 

 There were also several nesting-places on the mainland at Cape York. 



Haliastur leucosternus. White-headed Sea-Eagle. — This species 

 was observed near Burketown and on the Norman River, in the Gulf 

 count rv, but seldom at Cape York. 



Haliastur sphenurus. Whistling-Eagle. — Tolerably common on the 

 Ciulf rivers. It was nesting in [March at Sedan, and several nests 

 were found containing eggs, in Juh', along the Lcichhardt River. 

 Common at Cape York. 



Milvus aflinis. Allied Kite — This species, so common in western 

 New South Wales, is replaced in the Gulf country by the Square- 

 tailed Kite. Only a few Allied Kites were noted by i\Ir. M'Lennan 

 in the Gulf countrv, and an occasional one at Cape York. 



Lophoictinia isura. Square tailed Kite. — Quite the most plentiful 

 of the Hawk tribe throughout the Gulf country, where dozens may 

 be seen in the air at a time. They nest on the smaller coolibah creeks 

 on the downs countrv, and seldom on the main rivers. On 23rd 

 March, 1910, Mr. M'Lennan visited one of these creeks, and made 

 the following note : — " Went to a water-hole about 8 miles from 

 camp Found four Kites' nests containing two egg? each, one with 

 one egg, and one ready for egsjs. Two old nests were also found, 

 under one of which were seven lizards' eggs. These nests were at 

 an average height of 12 feet from the ground." 



Gypoictinia melanosternon. Black-breasted Buzzard. — From the 

 notes made bv Mr. M'Lennan, the Gulf country seems to be the head- 

 quarters of this fine species. He found them along all the Gulf 

 rivers, and more than once noted as many as five females in the air 

 at the same time. Several old nests were found in late summer and 

 autumn, but were used only as roosting and feeding platforms. The 

 birds evidently nest at the same time as in western New South Wales, as 

 early in July on the Leichhardt' River a bird was flushed from a nest 

 which was newly lined with green leaves. They were noted on 

 several occasions at Lockerbie and Paira, at Cape York. 



Elanus axillaris. Black-shouldered Kite. — Several seen at the Brook, 

 about 20 miles inland from Burketown. 



Falco melanogenys. Black-cheeked Falcon —Noted only once, on 

 the Corella River. 25 miles west from Cloncurry. 



Falco hypoleucus. Grey Falcon. — This line Falcon was noted on 

 all the Gulf rivers. 



