10 White, An Ornithological Cruise. [isfXiy 



rocks near the water, and made excursions o\er tlie water in search 

 of food. Should a bird alight upon the water it would be the signal 

 for all the others to take flight, and fly or settle round him. On one 

 of the islands at the entrance of Pondalowie Bay a great number of 

 shells known as " warreners " (Turbo stamirtetis) was found broken 

 upon the rocks. It has always been supposed that the Pacific Gulls 

 carry these shells to a great height and let them fall upon the rocks 

 to smash them, so that the animals can be extracted. The GoUey Bros, 

 on Wedge Island said they had seen the Gulls doing this, and that 

 sometimes the shells were carried up several times before they were 

 broken . 



Stercorarius parasiticus (Sfercorarms crepidatus). Arctic Skua. — I 

 was very lucky in securing two of these birds — one of each of the dark 

 and the light phase. Both were females in a non-breeding condition. 

 These are the first skins taken in South Australian waters. I have 

 hardly ever travelled up and down the Gulf without seeing these 

 birds. They are very easily picked out by their seemingly lazy, 

 flopping flight ; bvit as soon as they sight Gulls or Terns with food 

 it is wonderful how quickly they will overhaul and harass them till 

 they make them give up the food. Light form measured — total 

 length \6 inches, stretch of wing, tip to tip, 43 inches ; wing, axilla 

 to tip, 19 inches ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet black ; nails very 

 curved and sharp. Stomach contents : pieces of crab claws, one 

 broken and one unbroken shell (Thalofia conical. Dark phase 

 measured — total length, 16 inches ; wing, 20 inches ; spread from tip 

 to tip of wing, 45 inches ; soft parts same as light form ; stomach 

 contents : piece of crab's claw, one broken and one unbroken sea- 

 shell (the same as in light form). Dr Morgan took the temperature 

 as soon (in one case) as life left the body, and in the other before it 

 died. The result was — dark form, 106.2° F. ; light bird, 102.4° F- 

 I handed the skeletons to Dr. Morgan, and he states that " the light 

 bird was the younger, judging by the incomplete ossification of the 

 posterior border of the sternum. The light bird had. an extra pair 

 of cervical ribs, making nine in all, to the dark bird's eight pairs." 

 Each bird weighed i lb. 



Hsematopus ostralegus longirostris {H. longirostris). Pied Oyster- 

 catcher. — These birds were seen wherever there was a stretch of 

 sandy beach. 



Hsematopus niger fuliginosus (H. fuliginosus). Eastern Black 

 Oyster-catcher. — Seen almost everywhere we touched. Although the 

 Pied species is seldom if ever seen on the rocks, the dark species is 

 often seen on the sandy beach or spits ; still, it shows a far greater 

 liking for the rocky coast. 



Loblbyx novsehollandiae (Lobivanellus lobatus). Spur-winged Plover. 

 — Seen on the mainland at Pondalowie Bay and on Wedge Island. 



Zonifer t. tricolor (Z. pectoralis) Black-breasted Plover. — Two or 

 three birds were seen on Wedge Island. 



Leucopolius r. ruficapillus (^gialiiis ruficapilla). Red-capped 

 Dottrel. — Every place we touched at where there was a sandy beach 

 these birds were seen. At Troubridge Island several were behaving 

 as if they had nests, but none was seen. 



Charadrius c. cucullatus {Mgialitis monarcha) (}). Hooded Dottrel. — 

 Mostly seen in pairs, but not nesting. 



