Vol. XXIV. 
1925 
HOGAN, Birds of Willis Island 
269 
they disappeared, and not until March 3rd were they seen again. 
The next visit to the island was on April 24th and 25th, when 
two were noticed flying atiout. These little birds were not seen 
during the 1923-4 season until January, 1924, but thence until 
we left in May they frequented the island at intervals, they 
were to be seen chiefly in small groups flying over the sea round 
about. When resting on the island they frequentea the beach 
at the S.E. end only. During March, 1924, they were absent for 
some weeks, but were to be seen throughout April, and on May 
3rd I counted a dozen. I do not think their numbers at any 
time exceeded 20. 
(5) ROSEATE TERN (Sterna dougalli). 
The only occasion on which a Roseate Tern was observed was 
on the afternoon of January 19th, 1924, when a single bird was 
on the beach among a group of Black-naped Terns. 
(6) BROWN GANNET (Sula Icucogastcr). 
Brown Gannets were fairly numerous during the 1922-3 
season, much more so than the Masked species, and when nesting 
they frequented the lower portions of the grassed areas, but 
particularly those on the windward or eastern side. The nest¬ 
ing season was in progress on our arrival in October, 1922, and 
by December 7th most of the young birds were fully grown, but 
even on that day I saw at least two birds still sitting on eggs. 
In March, 1923, the Brown Gannets nested again. Early in 
that month they became more numerous and grouped together 
in a rookery at the north end of the island and on the windward 
side, and here the first egg was found on March 10th. A few 
days later eggs were numerous, and nesting operations gradually 
extended down the eastern side of the grassed areas. Brown 
Gannets assembled in small groups on the beach by day, while 
at night these groups were larger. On very few occasions did 
I see a Frigate-Bird attack a Brown Gannet, but it was a com¬ 
mon sight to see some Brown Gannets following a Frigate-Bird 
as it chased a Masked Gannet in the hope of obtaining a fish 
disgorged by the pursued bird. In this they were sometimes suc¬ 
cessful, while on one occasion I saw a Brown Gannet snap a 
fish away from the bill of a Frigate-Bird. 
Brown Gannets were again nesting on our arrival in November, 
1923, but this time T noticed that their numbers were decidedly 
smaller than during the nesting of November, 1922. In Feb¬ 
ruary, 1924, they began to increase, and a number took up a 
position in their old rookery at the northern end; the first egg 
was found on February 22nd. Although more nests were built 
in this vicinity only two eggs were found up to the middle of 
March. As in the case of the Noddy Terns, nesting was re¬ 
commenced later, for during the latter end of March, many nests 
were built at the opposite end of •the island, and by the end of 
March completed nests were scattered right along the windward 
side, and generally close to the edge of the grassed area. April. 
1924, showed a still greater increase in numbers, and by April 
