Vol. VI n, 

 1909 



1 Cornwall, Birds Found Breeding near Mackay, N.Q. I/ll 



was the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, we took careful bearings and 

 plunged into the scrub, and searched for some considerable time 

 before we found the tree in which the nest was situated. 



Mr. Nielson is a fine climber, and very soon he was forcing 

 his way upwards amongst the mass of creepers with which the 

 tree was smothered, and ere long shouted down the intelligence 

 that the nest contained three young birds. This was surprising 

 — to find three young Eagles in a nest ; but then doubts began 

 to assail my friend. First of all, the birds had straight bills, and 

 their feet had no claws, and slowly the fact dawned upon him 

 that they were Jabirus,* and at that moment, as convincing 

 argument, the parent bird flew slowly past. 



The nest was a large, flat structure, composed principally of a 

 long trailing grass which grows along the sea-shore, few, if any, 

 sticks being used. It was placed on a mass of creepers large 

 and strong enough to support the birds if they got out of the 

 nest. The young birds were ungainly-looking creatures, and 

 lay flat in the nest, making no attempt to move when Mr. 

 Nielson handled them. They were judged to be about two 

 weeks out of the egg. 



On 6th September I visited the spot again, in company with 

 Mr. S. W. Jackson, with photographic intent, but doubts as to 

 the strength of the branches on which the nest was placed 

 caused us to abandon the idea for the time. 



Again, on the 13th of September, Mr. Neilson and myself 

 were there with the camera, the former being determined to 

 obtain a picture if possible. He had a look at the birds, which 

 had grown much, but were not well feathered, and so we decided 

 to wait a little longer. Four weeks later, on nth October, we 

 journeyed that way again, fully equipped with rope ladder, spare 

 ropes, lashing, &c., for a determined onslaught with the camera. 

 Mr. Neilson was the operator, and after infinite trouble he rigged 

 a temporary platform of saplings on top of the network of 

 creepers, lashed the tripod there, and whilst I shouted instruc- 

 tions from below he exposed four plates on the interesting 

 group. It was not by any means a good photographic day — 

 heavy clouds were being driven before a stiff south-easterly wind, 

 and at times the operator and camera were swaying dangerously 

 from side to side as the heavy gusts struck the tree-tops. 

 However, after two hours' anxious work the young Jabirus were 

 finally left to the care of their parents, and scarcely were camera 

 and gear packed up than the rain came down in torrents and 

 drenched us to the skin on our homeward way. 



Mr. Neilson judged that the young birds would be able to fly 

 by the end of the month ; they would then be about three 

 months old. 



* XcnorhyncIiHS asiaticus. 



