Page:The Emu volume 18.djvu/325

 and of a very large colony of Pied Cormorants. In mentioning these matters it is only fair to add that the survey of Barrow Island is incomplete, and probably only approximate. I propose the names of Osprey Island for the larger island and Cormorant Island for the smaller one.

When, in October and November of last year, I paid a flying visit to Barrow Island, the breeding season, as far as land-birds were concerned, was over, and, as my chief concern was to reach the island as quickly as possible, little opportunity occurred of paying attention to the smaller islands passed en route. I was greatly struck with the number of the larger birds of prey observed, notably the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliæetiis leucogaster) and the White-headed Osprey (Pandion leucocephalus), and I hoped at some future date to pay a visit to the Archipelago when these species should be breeding. This hope was realized during the present season, when Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, N.S.W., asked me to undertake a more extended trip amongst the islands, making Barrow Island my chief objective, as before. Mr. White and Mr. J. H. Bettington, of Merriwa, N.S.W, financed the expedition.

I left Cossack on 4th July in a twenty-foot sailing boat, with one Japanese boatman, and landed on Barrow Island eleven days later. I was somewhat delayed by strong south-easterly winds, which raised a big sea at times, and, as a dinghy was being towed behind, my boatman was cautious. These delays, however, gave me opportunities of landing on the islands where we were sheltering, and I had many interesting experiences with nesting Sea-Eagles and Ospreys.

The following notes do not purport to be more than a brief account of the birds I found breeding in the Dampier Archipelago during the months of July and August, 1918. Other sea-birds were present, especially Terns. Angle Island showed signs of a colony about to take up its residence there for breeding purposes. I did not get a chance to obtain a specimen, so cannot say with certainty what they were. Brown Gannets were seen in small numbers, and a small flock of Frigate Birds was seen circling above Legendre Island, and I watched, at close quarters, a Darter (Plotus novæ-hollandiæ) drying its wings whilst perched on the handrail of a bridge near Cossack.

With regard to animal life, I found wallabies and bandicoots very plentiful on Barrow Island. The latter were quite a nuisance at my camp, and I was much disturbed at night by their coming into my tent. Shooting them was no good, but I eventually beat them by surrounding the tent with some sheets of corrugated iron which I disinterred from the wreck of an old hut. Whilst engaged in watching Spinifex-Birds after sunset, I frequently saw rats of a very small species, but they were too quick for me to get a good look at them.

Whales were frequently seen during the boat voyage—often close enough to distinguish a young one swimming by the side