THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
birds, fully feathered and able, but unwilling to fly, are congregated. They 
are all at about the same stage of development, and give the idea that the 
eggs must have been laid about May or June. Two young birds seem to be 
about each nest, and the nests consist of flat platforms of sticks and grass, 
raised from 4 to 6 inches above the general level of the ground where they 
are not placed on some small ledge of rock or other elevation. They are, of 
course, at this stage trodden down and liberally covered with excreta, but give 
one the idea that they were formerly about 8 inches in diameter. The young 
birds in general colour are remarkably like the lighter coloured examples of 
our Wedge-tailed Eagle (Uroaetus).’^ (Macgillivray, Emu, Vol. X., p. 226, 1910; 
Raine Island.) (The plate accompanying this note shows adult males only.) 
p. 228. “ We witness an encounter between a Lesser Crested Tern and 
a Frigate-Bird. The Tern, uttering shrill cries of alarm, endeavours, by 
turning and dodging, to elude the buffetings of its pursuer, but at last opens 
its bill and disgorges two fish, which, by an easy and seemingly effortless 
double swoop, are in turn caught and instantly swallowed by the Frigate- 
Bird. We have several times before noticed them pursuing and bullying 
Terns of different species, usually the larger ones — H. caspia, S. media, and 
S. hergii. Frigate-Birds are usually to be seen about all the islands, soaring 
overhead like great long-winged Hawks, until darkness closes in, waiting to 
rob any Terns flying to roost with a cropful of fish.” 
An additional note in the Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 148, 1914, by the same 
writer records : “ Mr. M’Lennan noted six of these birds at Cape Grenville. 
They headed out to sea when they reached the Cape. At Raine Island on 
the 9th July, 1911, he notes: ‘Several colonies of Frigate-Birds were seen 
near the beacon. Went and had a look at the Frigate-Bird colonies. They 
were eight in number, of from three to thirty nests. I counted 150 nests 
altogether, several of which contained one egg each : two of these were on 
the point of hatching. The rest of the nests contained one young bird each, 
in all stages of plumage, from a couple of days old to birds ready to fly. 
On the 27th July two birds only were noted at Bramble Cay.’ ” 
If only these plumages had been carefully noted a good piece of work 
would have been performed. In the photo given by Macgillivray of “ young 
birds, fully feathered, and able but unwilling to fly,” only adult males appear. 
The young are pale red-headed birds, and M’Lennan would see this at the 
second visit, but no record has been given. 
As previously indicated, Gray’s---' Fregata ariel is a very distinct species. 
I have also noted that I had observed subspecies. 
* It seems to have been overlooked by everyone up to the present that Gray published a beautiful figure 
of this bird three years before Gould, and, consequently, must be cited as the author of the name. 
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