Vol. X. 



igio 



] Broadbent, Birds of Cardwell and Herbert River. 243 



Charadrius dominicus (Lesser Golden Plover). — August, Cardwell. 

 Common on the beach this month, in winter plumage. This is a 

 common bird on the beach below Albany Pass, Cape York, and on 

 all the islands in Torres Strait. 



^GiALiTis MELANOPs (Black-fronted Dottrel). — Common on the 

 Herbert River. 



^GiALiTis RUFiCAPiLLA (Red-capped Dottrel). — Beach, Cardwell. 

 Common on the sea-beaches, Gulf of Carpentaria. 



LiMOSA NOViE-ZEALANDi.^ (Barrcd-rumped Godwit). — Cardwell, 

 beach. 



Tringoides hypoleucus (Common Sandpiper). — -In the mangroves, 

 Cardwell. I observed this bird at Cainis on the roots of the man- 

 groves, and have frequently seen it at Cape York, also in the man- 

 groves — never more than one at a time — sitting on the roots. 



Gallin.\go australis (Snipe). — Somewhat rare. Seen on Herbert 

 River in August. 



NuMENius CYANOPUS (Curlcw). — Common on all the islands and 

 shores of Rockingham Bay. 



Carphibis spinicollis (Straw-necked Ibis). — ■ Common on the 

 Herbert River in August. Also plentiful in the Cardwell and Cairns 

 districts in June, July, and August. In August, near Cardwell, in 

 1888, the season was very dry, and all, or nearly all, of the back-waters 

 dried up. There was one swamp near Cardwell with a httle mud and 

 water left, and it was covered with these birds, walking about in the 

 mud, while Anas superciliosa (Black Duck), Ibis mohicca (White Ibis), 

 Plegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis), Notophoyx novcB-hollandice (White- 

 fronted Heron), and Nycticorax caledoniciis (Night-Heron) were 

 sitting on all the trees around the water-hole. 



Ibis Molucca (White Ibis). — August, Herbert River. 



Pl.atalea regia (Black-billed Spoonbill).— September, Herbert 

 River. This was a very common bird on the Herbert, sitting on 

 dead trees on the edges of swamps. 



Antigone .australasiana (Native Companion). — September, Her- 

 bert River. I noticed a few specimens of this bird here this month. 



Xenorhynchus asiaticus (Black-necked Stork, Jabiru). — -Sep- 

 tember, Herbert River. This is a common bird in the Cardwell dis- 

 trict. All the mouths of creeks and rivers emptying into Rocking- 

 ham Bay are the habitat of this species ; also found on the banks of 

 swamps inland 40 miles from the shore. In January I noticed a pure 

 white one at the mouth of Maunga Creek. 2 miles from Cardwell. 



Ardea cinerea (Grey Heron). — Cardwell. This is a rare bird in 

 Australia. I have only seen two specimens — one at Cardwell, the 

 other at Kimberley, Gulf of Carpentaria. 



Arde.\ sum.\trana (Great-billed Heron). — Cardwell. This bird is 

 not common here. It lives in small, scrubby creeks and mouths of 

 mangrove creeks. On the Murray River, near Cardwell, I have killed 

 them as they flew out of the creeks into the river at dusk. Noted also 

 on the Mulgrave, just above its junction \vith the Russell River, in 

 1872. Have never seen more than one at a time. 



Notophoyx pacifica (White-necked Heron). — September, Her- 

 bert River. 



