the edible qualities of the young birds and eggs or from a desire to have the birds periodically visiting our coast for breeding purposes, it will be satisfactory to know that within the last few years a rookery has been formed on Griffith Island, near Port Fairy. It is formed on the sand dunes to the south-westward of the island, which is covered with tea-tree and undergrowth, the highest point being 74 feet above sea level. When on a visit last month to the lighthouse situated on the easterly point of the island, I observed that there appeared to be tracks cut in the tea-tree scrub running towards the summit of the dunes, which, viewed from a distance, appear to have curious notches in their sky-line, similar to what might have been formed by surveyors cutting away the undergrowth for lines of fences. These tracks have been formed by the birds running to the summit of the dunes each morning for the purpose of taking flight in accordance with custom during the nesting season. This rookery should increase in extent if it remain undisturbed, as the island appears in every way suitable as a breeding-place for the birds.—C. W. Maclean. Ports and Harbours Office, Melbourne, 30/12/03.
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Kurrajong (Gladstone, Q.) Notes.—This is a splendid year—plenty of grass and water, and everything rolling fat. We have had about 20 inches of rain so far, and I think they have had more at Coomooboolaroo. The common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) has laid right through this year, as I found a nest on 22nd February with small young ones; on 9th May a young bird on the nest just able to fly; on 16th August I took a perfectly fresh egg from a nest in a leafy ironbark; and again on 2 1st October I saw a bird sitting, but did not climb the tree to investigate. I have at last seen a Wonga's (Leucosarcia picata) nest. It contained two heavily incubated eggs, in a tall brigalow (acacia), about 40 feet from the ground. Both birds were at the nest. On the same day, 7th October, I rooted a BrushTurkey's (Talegallus) nest, and found sixteen eggs in various stages of incubation. Most probably there were more in the nest, as I only burrowed about three-quarters of it; but I considered I had a very fair share, so left the rest to hatch. I found a Black-throated Grebe's (Podicipes novæ-hollandiæ) nest attached to a snag in a dam, only about 7 or 8 feet from the bank. On wading in I discovered three tiny fluffy chicks in the nest, covered over in the same manner as the bird. covers her eggs when an intruder approaches. They were too frightened to keep still, hence betrayed themselves by jumping off the nest into the water as I drew near. Although they were very young (we judged them as being about two days old) they were able to dive about 15 feet; and as the water was very shallow and clear, we were able to keep them in sight the whole time.—E. D. BARNARD. 17/11/03.
