Emu 



220 .Macgillivray, Along the Great Barrier Reef. [isf'B 



as they hover overhead. We soon find that they have just started 

 to nest. The nest consists simply of a depression in the sand, 

 scraped out under a tussock of grass, and well concealed by it — 

 in fact, it is only by searching that any can be found at all, 

 or by seeing the bird flying from the nest. Very few, however, 

 contain the single egg— the clutch — most of the depressions being 

 only in course of preparation. Up in the thick tangle of dead 

 plants in the centre of the sand-bank are many nests of the Reef- 

 Heron in course of construction, while some are complete, but 

 only one contains a pair of eggs— an incomplete clutch. This 

 nest was placed about 2 feet from the ground — a compact plat- 

 form of interwoven sticks measuring i foot in diameter and slightly 

 depressed in the centre. Great numbers of Sandpipers {Hetero- 

 ■pygia acuminata), Barred-rumped Godwits {Limosa novcB-zealandicB)^ 

 Turnstones {Arenaria inteypres), and a pair of Pied Oyster- 

 catchers {HcBinatopMS longirostris), are all on the margin. At one 

 end of the sand-bank are the remains of old Pelican nests. Billy 

 the black fills his bucket with eggs of the green turtle, which he 

 digs out of the sand, and is happy in the prospect of a bountiful 

 repast. The night is clear and moonlit, and the rolling of the 

 boat rocks us to sleep, in spite of the hardness of the deck, the 

 shrill cries of the Terns and the croakings of the Herons, which 

 continue throughout the night. 



Next day we are off at daylight for Pelican Island, only 2 miles 

 distant. This is a much larger sand-bank, with a tall growth of 

 bushes with musky-smelling leaves, covered all over with dead 

 "■ fequirity " climber, and in this we find many Heron nests, old and 

 new. but none occupied, though many Reef-Herons and a few 

 Nankeen Night-Herons {Nycticorax caledonicns) are flushed from 

 the bushes. Here again we find the Brown- winged Terns just 

 preparing their nests. Several Rails [Hypotcenidia philippinensis) 

 are also flushed, and one shot for identification. Billy replenishes 

 his bucket with turtle eggs, as he ana George have eaten most 

 of the last lot. We pass several of the Claremont Group, and 

 call at No. 5, but see a cutter leaving it and the dry grass on the 

 island on fire. When we come abreast the island is burning 

 fiercely, and the birds hovering over it, uttering cries o; distress. 

 Beche-de-mer and pearl fishers (mostly the former) visit all these 

 islands that sea-birds are known to breed upon to gather bird and 

 turtle eggs as food for their blacks, as it saves them a good deal 

 in the cost of keeping them. We land, however, on No. 6 of the 

 Claremont Group — a large sand- bank covered with coarse grass, 

 a strongly growing conxolvulus with a large pink flower, some 

 large bushes at one end, and a clump of sisal hemp. A number of 

 Brown-winged Terns are nesting here, but the nests are diffi- 

 cult to find under the grass and tangle. The bank was also over- 

 run with sleek brown rats. In the larger bushes are many Reef- 

 Herons, and their nests in course of formation. Several young 

 Gulls are ready to take to the water. Two pairs of Pied Oyster- 

 catchers are on the shore, and one Long-billed Stone-Plover 



