THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
black with a white spot above and a short white line below ; bill and feet black ; 
iris blacldsh. Total length 330 mm. ; culmen 45, wing 228, tail 118, tarsus 23. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 
Immature. Pure or yellowish-white distinct cap on top of head ; lores black — otherwise 
dark brown throughout. 
Nestlmg. Does not appear to have been described. 
N est. “ Slightly cupped, composed of fresh seaweed, which is firmly cemented to a bough 
of a tree ” (Metcalfe). 
Egg. Clutch, one ; ground-colour whitish, spotted round the larger end with reddish- 
brown ; sometimes a few pale grey spots over the rest of the egg ; axis 45-47 mm. ; 
diameter 31.5-33. 
Breeding-season. November, December (Hull, Norfolk Island). 
Dr. Metcalfe* says that “ this bird breeds on Norfolk and Philip Island but 
not on Nepean Island, as there are no trees there. The nests are placed all 
along the boughs, sometimes six or more on the same bough a short distance 
apart, and in the forks as well. The birds are very tame, and may be taken 
off their nests, though they strike hard, with their bills at intruders. The tree 
on which I have always seen the nests of this bird placed, is the white Oak 
{Lagunaria pater soni). I have seen them on small trees growing on the 
coast, a few feet above the sea, and fully exposed to the wind ; but the site 
usually chosen is a sheltered valley about half a mile from the sea. 
Mr. Tom Iredalef records that this species only breed on Meyer Island 
(of the Kermadec Islands) and one of the other islets. He found fully-feathered 
young on the former island on the 29th February. 
Writing on the “ Birds of the Capricorn Group,” Messrs. Campbell and 
Whitet record : “ Almost everywhere on land, built in bushes or in the trees, 
singly, or in clusters, placed on boughs or in forks, were the nests of the graceful 
little White-capped Noddy, the silver-white crown of the head contrasting 
to advantage, especially in the sunlight, with the otherwise dark plumage 
of the bird. The nests were from 7 to 9 inches across and slightly concave, 
and composed of fiat, broad, dead leaves, matted together when moist. The 
Noddies were not easily disturbed from their nests, allowing observers to pass 
quite close to them beforgs flushing. It was extremely interesting to watch the 
process of nest-building and the courting of mated pairs, and to listen to their 
curious frog-like croaking and calls. But the most interesting sight of aU was 
to watch the Noddies going out at early morn to feed in the open seas beyond 
the reefs. From daylight to sunrise, on easy wing, the birds flew out in 
continuous crowds, reminding one of the wonderful flights of ‘ Mutton Birds ’ 
(Petrels). Again at evening the myriads of homeward-hurrying forms 
* Ibis, 1886, p. 265. 
t Emu, Vol. X., p. 9, 1910. 
t*.,p. 200. 
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