^°'jj^|""] iNlACGiLLiVKAV, Nuics Oil Soiiie N. Queensland Birds. l6l 



fish, or shrimps. Its note is similar to that of H. sancins, but much 

 louder. The length in the flesh of an adult male is lo inches, of a 

 female gj inches ; iridcs brown, bill black, legs dark lead colour. No 

 nests were foimd. 



Tanysiptera sylvia. White-tailed Kingfisher. — This species puts in 

 its first appearance at the end of October or beginning of November, 

 at or just before the commencement of the wet season, and soon 

 starts nesting operations. For this purpose a low termites' nest 

 on the ground, in the scrub, is chosen, and a hole, with nesting 

 chamber at the end, drilled into it. Occasionally a termites' nest 

 in a tree is utilized, up to a height of lo feet. The termites' nest 

 chosen is always an inhabited one, never a dead mound. During the 

 nesting season this bird's trilling call may be heard all day long in 

 the scrubs, from which it rai"ely emerges. The clutch of eggs is 

 invariably three. 



Merops ornatus. Bee-eater. — Mr. M'Lennan's notes on the move- 

 ments of this bird are interesting when taken in connection with mine at 

 Broken Hill. He writes. (13th February, 1910) : — " At Sedan a 

 large flock of Bee-eaters passed over the camp at dusk, going north." 

 My note on 24th January, iQio, at Broken Hill, is : — " .Several flocks 

 of Bee-eaters passing over the town, going north. Many young birds, 

 still being fed by their parents, were with the flocks." This migration 

 occurs at about this time every year. It would appear that they go 

 on to the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea, where they were noted 

 by the B.O.U. expedition as being numerous after the month of 

 April, though not met with previous to that date. It seems, how- 

 ever, that a few winter in North Queensland, as Mr. M'Lennan noted 

 them at Caloola, beyond the Leichhardt, in June, and obtained speci- 

 mens further down the same river on ist July. He also saw them 

 at Cape Grenville in July of the following year. At Cape York they 

 congregated in great numbers on nth February, 1912, and then, 

 gathering together, resiimcd their northward flight across the Strait. 



Eurostopodus albogularis. White-throated Nightjar. — Noted in the 

 ranges about Cloncurry, where it was fairly common. Also seen 

 at Paira, Cape York, and at Cape Grenville. 



Caprimulgus macrurus. Large-tailed Nightjar. — ]\Iet with at 

 Lockerbie, where it frequented some patches of black tea-tree scrub 

 along the coast between the true scrub and the mangroves. One 

 nest was obtained at Paira, in September, by Mr. Vidgen's boy. 



Cypselus pacificus. White-rumped Swift. — Mr. ^M'Lennan made 

 notes at Sedan on nth February, 1910, that probably applied to this 

 bird : — " Saw a large flight of Swifts passing over the tent at 7 p.m., 

 flying north. Could not identify them, as it was too dark." 



14th February, 19 10. — " Another flight of SAvifts passed over, going 

 north, at dusk." 



8th April, 1910. — " Saw some Swifts flying south-west this after- 

 noon — Australian Swifts, I think they were, as I distinctly saw the 

 white rump. One of the men on the station told me that they 

 usually put in an appearance after a steady fall of i-ain." 



At Cape York the earliest note is 5th November, 191 1 :—" Aus- 

 tralian Swifts noted flying .south." 



i6th November, 191 1 . — " Lockerbie. Australian Swifts flying south 

 to-day." 



