Booby Island — Port Darwin 201 



Mimeta, Halcyon, Nycticorax, Plictolophus, Chalcophaps, Erythrau- 

 chena, Geopelia, Ptilinopus, Mytagra, Sauloprocta, Sphecotheres> 

 Chibia, Centropus, Graucalus, Grallina, Donacola, Tropidorhyncus, 

 Climacteris, Megapodius, CEdicnemus, ^Egialitis, Merops, Dacelo, 

 Bruchigavia, Sterna, Pelicanus, Hcematopus, and others. At Booby 

 Island, a small rocky islet in midchannel, affording no cover 

 beyond a few bushes growing in a cleft in the rocks, we found no 

 less than twelve species of land birds. These were the Ptilinopus 

 superbuSy P. Swainsoni, Myiagra plumbea, Nectar inia Australis, 

 Megapodius tumulus, Porp//yrio melanotus, Halcyon sanctus, Nycti- 

 corax caledonicus, a Zosterops, a yellow-breasted flycatcher, a land- 

 rail, and a quail. From the discrepancies between the different 

 records of the birds found on this island, there is reason to believe 

 that it is mainly used as a temporary resting-place for birds of 

 passage. The " mound bird " (Megapodius tumulus) is probably, 

 however, a regular inhabitant. 



In examining the cliffs of this island, in quest of sea-birds' nests, 

 I noticed, considerably above the reach of the highest tide, some 

 smooth basin-shaped cavities in the rock containing rounded 

 waterworn stones, such as one sees in the rock pools between tide 

 marks. This circumstance would point to an upheaval of the 

 island during recent geological times. 



We sailed from Torres Straits on October 1st, and proceeded 

 under steam towards Port Darwin, in North- West Australia, 

 sounding and dredging on our way, and eventually coming to an 

 anchor in Port Darwin on October 20th. The settlement of 

 Palmerston, off which we lay, is the seat of government for the 

 northern territory of the colony of South Australia, whose capital, 

 Adelaide, is about 1,800 miles away on the south coast, and is 

 separated from Port Darwin by an enormous patch of uncivilized 

 country extending for about 1,500 miles in a north and south 

 direction. 



The foundation of a settlement at Port Darwin, which took 

 place about ten years ago (1872), was practically due to the 



