IQ4 Whitlock, Birds on the Pilbarra Goldfield. [isfApri! 



an hour's time ruined them by eatiny away all around the throat until all 

 the small feathers dropped out. 



Black-fronted Dottrel {.'Egialitis melanops). —Fairly common 

 throughout the district. I took a nest with four eggs in the bed of the upper 

 Coongan. 



Curlew {Numcniits cyanopiis). — Not uncommon at Port Hedland, but 

 still more numerous at Condon. I was told they were present at the latter 

 locality all the year round. 



Grey-rumped Sandpiper {Heieractitis brevipes).—\ shot a pair of 

 Sandpipers at Port Hedland, and again met with the same species at 

 Condon. I take it to be the present bird. 



Common Sandpiper {Tringoides hypolcucus). — Not uncommon on the 

 de Grey, and again on the beach at Condon. 



Greenshank (filottis nebularius). — A few seen at Condon. 



Little Stint {^Limonites riijicollis). — Common at both Port Hedland 

 and Condon. 



Sharp-tailed Stint {Hctcropygia acuminata). — A few seen at Condon. 



Curlew Stint {^Ancylochilus subarquatus). — Fairly common at Condon. 



Caspian Tern {Hydroprogne caspia). — A small flock of this fine Tern at 

 Condon. There were other smaller species flying about, but most of them 

 showed signs of inmaturity, so none was shot. 



Silver Gull {Lnrtis tiovce-holla7rdicp) . — Common at Port Hedland and 

 Condon. 



Straw-necked Ibis {Carphibis spinicolHs). — Not uncommon throughout 

 the district, but I saw no signs of its breeding. 



White-fronted Heron {Notophoyx ;?(?t/^-/?^//«;;(^//rt?). — Met with both 

 on the Coongan and de Grey. I saw nests with young in the former locality. 



White-necked Heron (yV. pacifica). — A flock of this species at the big 

 clay-pan, and individuals seen on the de Grey and Coongan. 



Little Mangrove-Bittern {Butorldes stag}miilis). — \\\ the mangroves 

 at Condon I found three nests of this species. They were mere platforms 

 of mangrove twigs, and were placed on convenient forks of the tallest 

 trees. Two of these nests contained three young birds, and the third three 

 very small pale green fresh eggs. The young were covered with pale dove- 

 coloured down, and had straw-coloured irises. 



Several times in the ranges I flushed a species of Night-Heron I was 

 unable to identify, but spared them, in the hope of obtaining nests later on. 

 I now regret I did not shoot a specimen, as I am cjuite at a loss to know 

 what they were. 



Little Black Cormorant {Phalacrocorax sulcirosiris). — Seen only on 

 the Coongan and Taiga Rivers. 



Pelican [Pelecanus conspicillatus). — Seen, and some specimens examined, 

 on the upper Coongan and Taiga Rivers. 



Black Duck {Anas stipcrdliosa).—T\\Q only Duck I identified. It 

 breeds on the Coongan, where I saw several broods of young. 



Emu {Dromceus nova^-Jiollajidice). — So uncommon that the only e\-idences 

 of its presence were recent tracks. 



[Members of the A.O.U. are indebted to Mr. H. L. White, 

 of Scone, New South Wales, for the publication of these 

 interesting notes, which were specially written for him by 

 Mr. Whitlock.— Eds.] 



