WESTRALIAN RED-TAILED TROPIC BIRD. 
two eggs, both hard set. Following February two nests same kind were 
taken on Rat Island ; two eggs in each. T could not rescue the eggs, not 
being the finder.’ ” 
This statement as to the number of eggs agrees with that of the elder 
Macgillivray, but otherwise the majority of collectors record only one as 
a clutch. 
The only note I have regarding this form is that by Mr. Tom Carter, who 
states : “ The only specimen noted of this beautiful species was shot by me 
near Point Cloates on April 23, 1891, while it was hovering above a sheep 
camp near the beach. An old sailor and whaler, who worked for me a long 
time, assured me that on one occasion he had seen a small flock flying about 
the mouth of the River Swan at Fremantle, where the presence of such rare 
visitors caused much attention and remark among seafaring men.” 
I have discussed the status of this subspecies under the preceding form. 
The bird figured and described is the type male collected on Houtman’s 
Abrolhos, West Australia, in November, 1894. 
VOL. rv. 
305 
