56 
Hhe Queensland Naturalist 
November, 1932 
quickly the damage done to vegetation by the goats has 
recovered. Much undergrowth, mostly Abutilon and 
coarse grasses now grows all over the island. The white- 
capped-Noddies were more numerous than before, the nest 
building material was again in good supply, and most of 
the trees on the island, the Pisonias, fig trees, and even 
the Pandanus “ palms’ ’ were literally full of nesting 
birds. As long as a neighbouring nest is beyond pecking 
distance of a brooding Noddie it is tolerated. It is be- 
lieved that the male bird also takes a turn on the nest, 
giving the hen a spell and time to feed. The nest must 
always be guarded against invasion by the mischievous 
Sea Gull. 
The Noddies are graceful little birds, the size of a 
pigeon, and are very tame as long as all is quiet, the least 
unusual noise, however, alarms them. On a. few occasions 
I actually have touched their feathers. On the last visit 
most of the eggs were hatched and the young birds seen 
in all stages; none, however, were; far enough advanced to 
fly. The Noddies feed on very small fish and fly out to 
sea 20 to 30 miles. 
The Silver Gulls ( Lams novae-hollandiae) were also 
very numerous on Lady Musgrave Island, and many of 
their young chicks were running in the grass on the edges 
of the island. These birds are very easily alarmed and 
before you can approach the young ones they are ushered 
to places of safety, logs and Mutton Bird burrows pro- 
viding the shelter. The Silver Gulls were continually fly- 
ing and sitting among the nesting Noddies, evidently 
stealing eggs or young ones when there was an 
opportunity. 
On Hoskin Island seven or eight Lesser Frigate Birds 
( Fregata ariel) were seen, always in the air and watching 
the Gannets as they came home. When their keen eyes 
see a Gannet bringing in a fish to feed their young, they 
swoop down on them with lightning speed. To avoid a 
struggle the Gannet spits out the fish and the Frigate Bird 
catches and swallows it. The Frigate Birds are perfect 
flyers, they can almost stand still in the air and very 
seldom move their wings. 
We intended visiting Bolt Reef from our camp at 
Fairfax Island. The south-easterly wind, however, would 
not moderate, and in the end we had to choose the first 
good day to move on to Heron Island for our second camp. 
Heron Island is one of the best islands to camp on, 
an area of about 50 acres, covered with shady Pisonia 
trees and with a nice sandy beach. There is, however, no 
