NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN ACCIPITIIES. 
429 
expedition to King Island, Bass Straits, observed several nests of the 
Sea-Eagle on dead blue gum-trees ( Eucalyptus globulus ) on that 
island. 
Near Coomooboolaroo, Queensland, the White-bellied Sea-Eagle 
lays in June; while Mr. K. Broadbent found on the Cardwell beach, 
also in June, a nest containing young, built in a tea-tree (Melaleuca ) . 
Erom the other side of the continent Mr. Tom Carter writes me : — 
“ White-bellied Sea-Eagles plentiful. Had my eye on two nests 
which the birds were repairing in May, but they either left the nests 
in consequence of sheep feeding around, or the natives got the eggs.” 
Another season, on the 5th October, Mr. Carter observed two nests 
on the Lower Murchison containing incubated eggs. 
Although essentially a coastal bird, the Sea-Eagle has been 
known to breed far inland in localities favourable to the bird's habit. 
Mr. Harry Barnard has taken the eggs 150 miles from the sea- 
board. 1 am aware of other instances of nests seen inland, notably 
on the Lower Edwai’ds River and at Lake Moira, Riverina, New 
South Wales. McKinlay, the explorer, in 1862, noted the birds 
inland on the Upper Burdekin, North Queensland. 
The breeding months of the Sea-Eagle may be said to extend 
from May to November, the principal laying times being June and 
July in New South Wales, Queensland, and other northern parts, 
and August and September on the southern coast, including Tas- 
mania. 
Haliastur Indus (sub-species) girrenera, Vieillot. 
(White-headed Sea-Eagle.) 
Figure. — Gould : 44 Birds of Australia,” fol., vol. i., pi. 4. 
Previous Descriptions of Fggs. — Gould: 44 Birds of Australia” 
(1848), also Handbook, vol. i., p. 18 (1865); Ramsay: 44 Ibis,” 
vol. i., p. 83 (1865) ; Ramsay: P.Z.S., p. 578 (1875.) 
Geographical Distribution. — North-west Australia, Northern 
Territory, Queensland, and New South AVales ; also New Guinea, 
Amboina, Batchian, Morty Islands, Celebes, and Louisiade Archi- 
pelago. 
Nest. — About 61 cm. (2 feet) in diameter, constructed of sticks 
and twigs, lined with finer material or coarse grass, &c., and usually 
situated in a large tree in a retired locality near the coast. 
Eggs. — Clutch, 2 ; roundish in shape ; surface somewhat coarse 
and lustrous; colour dirty or bluish-white ; marked somewhat 
sparingly with hair-like streaks and minute dots of reddish-brown, the 
markings being more numerous sometimes at the larger end, other 
times at the smaller. Dimensions : 5'5 x 4*25 cm. A specimen in 
Mr. G. A. Heartland’ s collection taken near Rockhampton has many 
liglit-cliesnut markings about the smaller end, and measures 5 53 x 
4*29 cm. 
Observations . — This handsome fishing eagle in snow-white and 
rich chestnut plumage is tolerably common along the coastal regions 
of tropical Australia, and as a sub-species of PL. indus was happily 
designated girrenera by Vieillot, girrenera being an Australian 
aboriginal name for the bird. 
