258 Hull, Nest and Egg of CEstrelata leucoptera. [zi^jan. 



case. On a small sand-spit which we visited on our way home, 

 we found a few two and three sets of eggs of Steriia sinensis and 

 one pair of yEgialitis ruficapiUa. 



On the 7th December we again took the launch outside the 

 Heads, and after considerable difficulty effected a landing on Big 

 or Boondelbah Island. We had to ascend a narrow cleft in the 

 cliffs for a distance of 300 feet, but the labour was not well 

 repaid, for we found nothing but immense numbers of Pitffinus 

 spJienurus. Every available yard of sandy soil was burrowed, 

 and each burrow was tenanted by a bird and &^^, while a 

 sociable little lizard basked on the sand-heap at the entrance, 

 and whisked into the burrow on our approach. Many birds 

 were unable to find sufficient accommodation for burrowing 

 purposes, and had to content themselves with the slight shelter 

 afiforded by a thick tussock or a stunted bush {Atriplex, sp.) 

 These birds were often quite visible from above, but sat unmoved 

 as we passed by. 



We next visited a small split rock or islet off Point Stephens, 

 called Shark Island. The signalman at the Port informed me 

 that three species of birds frequented this island — viz., the 

 common Mutton-Bird, the Cabbage Tree Island Petrel, and a 

 smaller one called " Blue-billy." The last is probably the 

 White-faced Storm-Petrel, but our most careful search of both 

 halves of the islet failed to reveal anything but Puffinns spJien- 

 urus and two nests of Deniiegretta sacra, one containing two 

 young birds and the other empty. 



Field Notes on th$ Birds of Kimberley, Norths West 



Australia. 



By G. F. Hill, R.A.O.U., Melbourne. 



In August of last year I visited the newly- established mission 

 station (lat. 14° 6' S., long. 126° 40' E.) on Napier Broome Bay, 

 far north-west of Australia, and the following notes and observa- 

 tions are the result of 10 months' work, devoted principally to 

 ornithology, in the interests of Mr. H. L. White, Belltrees, New 

 South Wales, in a remote and practically unknown region. The 

 locality is about 300 miles north-east of Derby and 135 miles 

 north-west of Wyndham. 



The season was evidently a very unusual one, and the rainfall 

 far below the average, if one could judge accurately from the 

 appearance of the country and the evidence of great volumes of 

 water in the creeks and rivers during past seasons. Between 

 October and April, 34 inches of rain were recorded — a generous 

 rainfall under some conditions, yet not sufficient for this country 

 when distributed generally in light showers over a period of six 



