^°'/gf3""] l^otes and Notices. 287 



are numerous, but, unfortunately, are deemed a pest, and are 

 destroyed by the settlers, on account of their habit of raiding the 

 gardens, especially fruit. Out of twelve sets (pairs) of eggs about 

 50 per cent, have the fine, hair-like lines covering nearly the 

 whole surface of the shell. About 25 per cent, have the 

 smaller end comparatively free from markings, while in odd pairs 

 the lines are short or smudgy. Others have the linear markings 

 so thickly placed as to form a broad band round the upper 

 quarter, and a single specimen has the markings altogether few, 

 light, and fanciful, imparting to the egg a delicate appearance, 

 as of a hand-painted piece of china. — A. J. C. 



Birds of Dorre and Bernier Islands, W.A. — The Records of the 

 Western Australian Museum and Art Gallery, vol. i., part 2, 

 contains an article by Mr. Otto Lipfert, entitled " A Visit to 

 Bernier and Dorre Islands During August and September, 1910." 

 The author also gives a list of the birds observed on the islands. 

 He states : — 



" The best time to visit Bernier and Dorre Islands is immediately 

 after the rainy season, when the wild flowers are in full bloom. 

 Parts of Dorre Island then resemble a brilliant flower garden ; 

 however, the blooms do not last long, for during October the sun 

 scorches everything except the salt-bush and spinifex. There is 

 little animal life ; even the sea-birds are by no means abundant, 

 and as the aborigines, for whose benefit these islands have been 

 reserved, are to some extent dependent for food on the result of 

 their success in hunting, the wallabies and bandicoots will soon 

 become extinct. The nesting season of the Eagles and Ospreys 

 was well advanced. On Dorre Island I located three nests of 

 Haliaetus leucogaster, the White-bellied Sea-Eagle. One con- 

 tained eggs, and the other two fledglings, while there were ten or 

 more nests of Pandion lencocephalus, the White-headed Osprey. 

 Owing to the rocky nature of the country, the nests are difficult 

 of access. One Sea-Eagle's nest found on the east coast contained 

 two eggs. It was a very bulky structure, the diameter on the 

 top being 183 cm., at base 240, height 52 ; the mould was only 

 65 wide by 12 deep. To reach the nest it was necessary to make 

 a detour of at least a quarter of a mile to find a spot where one 

 could climb down to the shore, about 40 feet below. Both eggs 

 were slightly incubated. Two other nests of this Eagle which I 

 found on 27th August contained young birds at least a fortnight 

 old. On 20th August, during an excursion southwards, I found 

 eight nests of the Osprey, of which several were old and deserted. 

 It is more plentiful than the Sea-Eagle, for five of these fine birds 

 were in sight at once. A nest visited on 7th August was on a 

 projecting cliff, and contained three young — two about a fortnight 

 old, and the other about a week. It measured across the top 

 141 cm., base 160 cm., mould 59 cm., depth of same 6 cm., height 

 of nest 88 cm. Both parent birds and their young were secured. 

 A remarkable find on this island was the nest mth two young of 



