Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/283

Rh rearing young in the middle of a lambing paddock. On June 30th I found another nest, also containing one egg, about three miles further north in the range; probably the same pair of birds. On June 13th, in the great cliffs at the Jardie creek, a White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaëtus leucogaster) was sitting on her bulky nest, about one hundred feet above the water, and fifty from the edge of the cliff. On getting above I could plainly see the two dirty-white eggs. The nest was built on a large milk-bush growing on a ledge. In previous years these birds have always laid in a nest on a ledge of cliff on the opposite side of the creek, but quite inaccessible owing to the cliff overhanging. This time I determined to secure the eggs, and returned two days after with ropes and three native boys. Rigging the ropes the same way as the "climmers" on the Yorkshire cliffs, we soon had the eggs. The birds flew round without attempting to interfere, uttering an occasional cry. They afterwards took possession of a newly-built Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest further up the gorge. I took a White-eyed Crow's nest, June 29th, with the unusual number of seven eggs. Brown Hawks had eggs, and Spotted Harriers were building.

Found an Osprey's nest, July 1st, with one egg, on the 2nd one with three eggs, and two other nests containing eggs the next day. The White-headed Sea-Eagle (Haliastur girrenera), which is common here in the summer, especially about the Jardie cliffs, disappears in the winter to breed, where I do not know, unless in the mangroves of the Exmouth Gulf. In a large patch of mangroves near the N.W. Cape, July 2nd, Curlews (Numenius cyanopus) were in large flocks, which does not give them much time if they are to breed, as they appear again here on the beach regularly about the end of September. I shot one, but there were no signs of breeding. Teal (Nettion castaneum) were in numbers in the salt-creeks in the mangroves, and, what is a very uncommon circumstance, were in their full breeding plumage, which is rarely seen. They were breeding there, young in down being numerous, although there is no fresh water within fifteen miles. I shot a Green Bittern (Butorides javanica) after some trouble, as it is a very skulking bird, and I have tried before to secure specimens. July 5th, shot a Carter's Desert Bird to see if any indications of breeding. This new species was described by Zool. 4th ser. vol. V., July, 1901.