NOTES FROM POINT CLOATES, N.W. AUSTRALIA . 257 



rearing young in the middle of a lambing paddock. On June 

 30th I found another nest, also containing one egg, about three 

 miles further north in the range ; probably the same pair of birds. 

 On June 13th, in the great cliffs at the Jardie creek, a White- 

 bellied Sea-Eagle {Haliaetusleucog aster) was sitting on her bulky 

 nest, about one hundred feet above the water, and fifty from the 

 edge of the cliff. On getting above I could plainly see the two 

 dirty-white eggs. The nest was built on a large milk-bush 

 growing on a ledge. In previous years these birds have always 

 laid in a nest on a ledge of cliff on the opposite side of the creek, 

 but quite inaccessible owing to the cliff overhanging. This time 

 I determined to secure the eggs, and returned two days after 

 with ropes and three native boys. Eigging the ropes the same 

 way as the " dimmers " on the Yorkshire cliffs, we soon had the 

 eggs. The birds flew round without attempting to interfere, 

 uttering an occasional cry. They afterwards took possession of 

 a newly-built Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest further up the gorge. 

 I took a White-eyed Crow's nest, June 29th, with the unusual 

 number of seven eggs. Brown Hawks had eggs, and Spotted 

 Harriers were building. 



Found an Osprey's nest, July 1st, with one egg, on the 3nd 

 one with three eggs, and two other nests containing eggs the next 

 day. The White-headed Sea-Eagle {Haliastur girrenera), which 

 is common here in the summer, especially about the Jardie cliffs, 

 disappears in the winter to breed, where I do not know, unless 

 in the mangroves of the Exmouth Gulf. In a large patch of man- 

 groves near the N.W. Cape, July 3nd, Curlews (Niimenius cyanopus) 

 were in large flocks, which does not give them much time if they 

 are to breed, as they appear again here on the beach regularly 

 about the end of September. I shot one, but there were no signs 

 of breeding. Teal {Nettioyi casta7ieum) were in numbers in the 

 salt-creeks in the mangroves, and, what is a very uncommon 

 circumstance, were in their full breeding plumage, which is 

 rarely seen. They were breeding there, young in down being 

 numerous, although there is no fresh water within fifteen miles. 

 I shot a Green Bittern {Butorides javanica) after some trouble, 

 as it is a very skulking bird, and I have tried before to secure 

 specimens. July 5th, shot a Carter's Desert Bird to see if any 

 indications of breeding. This new species was described by 



Zool. ibh 6'6/. vol. v., J Lily, 1901, x 



