272 
HOGAN, Birds of Willis Island 
[ The Emu 
April 
the Masked Gannets to persistent attacks. They often rested 
on the tops of the masts or posts, but were not again seen on the 
ground or the bushes. In chasing the Gannets they were not al¬ 
ways successful in obtaining a meal; on many occasions I saw the 
Gannets land safely without having disgorged any fish. These 
birds sometimes chased one another, and were very persistent 
in their efforts to make a more fortunate companion disgorge 
a fish which he had plundered from a Gannet. 
Frigate-Birds frequented the island during the whole of the 
1923-4 season in varying numbers. They were numerous from 
January 22nd to 24th, 1924, when numbers of them settled for 
those few days on the ground, and the small bushes towards 
the S.E. end. Their favourite positions when resting were on 
the aerial and the tops of the wireless masts, and they fought 
among themselves and with the Red-legged Gannets for these 
positions. During this season I noticed them more frequently 
chasing Brown and Red-legged Gannets, but the Masked Gannets 
were their chief victims. The Frigate-Birds were most active 
during the afternoon and evening, in search of food, when the 
Gannets were returning to the island for the night. 
1 here was no sign of the Frigate-Birds nesting on the island. 
(11) SACRED KINGFISHER ( Halcyon sanctns ). 
Very few Sacred Kingfishers were seen during my first season 
on Willis Island. During November, 1922, and the early part 
of December two or three were noticed darting about the island 
or perched on the stays of the masts. But from December 17th, 
1922, there was no sign of them until March 2nd, 1923, when 
a single bird returned to the island. Three of them were seen 
on March 22nd, while a few days later four Kingfishers were 
noticed on one of the stays. 
1 he first Kingfisher for the 1923-4 season was seen on Novem¬ 
ber 29th, but until the following March these birds were not 
again noticed on the island. Their return was heralded on 
March 3rd by an isolated bird, which flew into the hut. On the 
next day four were seen, and thence until early in April a few 
frequented the island. But on April 5th quite an invasion took 
place. It was a rainy day, and increasing numbers of these 
pretty birds sought shelter around the huts. In the afternoon 
76 of them were counted at one time, and it is safe to say that 
they numbered over 100. They disappeared during the night; 
only four remained next morning. On April 12th, a week later, 
and another rainy day, the Kingfishers again suddenly visited 
the island in numbers, I should say, approximating those of the 
previous Saturday. Again they disappeared during the night, 
leaving only a few behind, and until our departure, three or four 
were always seen about the island. During the evenings of 
those two days, when the Kingfishers were most numerous, we 
had to close the doors and windows against them, for they were 
continually flying indoors, attracted by the lamp. 
