12 
The Queensland Naturalist 
March, 1929- 
The lighthouses take toll of many passing birds at 
night, especially during misty weather; a specimen o-f 
the beautiful little purple-crowned pigeon (Ptilinopus- 
superbus) being picked up dead during my stay. 
A number of shore birds, which had not migrated, 
were about. Amongst these were the sea Curlew 
(Numenius), Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica),. 
Grey-tailed Tattler (Tringa breviceps), Golden Plover 
(Pluvialis dominicus), and Banded dottrel. In addition 
to these, the Blue Heron, also the Reef Heron both white 
and grey varieties (Demigretta greyi and D. sacra cook- 
towni), ornamented the beach and coral blocks at low 
tide. Matthews considers these distinct, others not so,, 
the constant association of both colours here might 
appear to indicate that they are not distinct but variable. 
The brown gannet at times made an interesting sight,, 
plunging under the water after fish with great assiduity.. 
The Sooty tern has since been nesting on the coral 
spit, 1 have been informed. 
The above list might probably be considerably in- 
creased, over a more extended period. 
The English members of the party under Dr. C. M. 
Yonge, who are to be complimented for their zeal under 
trying conditions, and assisted by Messrs. A. G. Nicholls,. 
of Perth, and F. W. Mioorehouse, of Brisbane, have set 
themselves a task of great magnitude. Mr. Tandy,. 
Botanist, who could only stay six months, was mainly 
working on marine algae. The others briefly are investi- 
gating all the marine life, the water and its chemical 
variations, and contained plankton, the breeding seasons 
and foods of the various organisms, and the nature and 
extent of relationship, as between one and another, so as 
to gain the fullest possible knowledge, both from a bio- 
logical and economic point of view. The weather also 
receives attention, force of wind, temperature, humidity,, 
and by a clever automatic arrangement, the intensity,, 
and actual duration and times of sunlight during every 
day of the year, are registered. 
The fullest results of investigation will not have been 
worked out for probably a year after leaving here next 
July. We can only join in wishing Dr. Yonge and his 
party every possible success in their findings. 
My thanks are due to Mr. II. A. Longman, Director 
of the Queensland Museum, and Mr. C. T. White, Govern- 
ment Botanist, for assistance in determining a number of 
species mentioned in this article. 
