178 Gabriel, Mutton-birds and Penguins, Phillip I. [vli'.'^'xxxv 



ON THE DESTRUCTION OF MUTTON-BIRDS AND 

 PENGUINS AT PHILLIP ISLAND. 



By Joseph Gabriel. 



(Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, loth March, 1919.) 



In January, 1912, in a paper read before this Club {Vict. Nat., 

 xxviii., p. 206, March, 1912), I called attention to the fact that 

 large numbers of Short-tailed Petrels, Piiffinus hrevicandtis. 

 Tern., popularly known as " Mutton-birds," were being 

 destro^^ed by the presence of barbed-wire fences near their 

 nesting-places, the birds being injured by contact with the 

 fences during their in and out flights. 



It is with deep regret that I now have to bring under the 

 notice of members what I consider to be a far greater menace 

 to the birds, and which may lead to their ultimate extermina- 

 tion on Phillip Island — viz., the presence of foxes on the 

 island, and which are rapidly increasing in numbers. 



The notes about this latest menace have been supplied to 

 me by my son, Mr. C. J. Gabriel, who learned the facts while 

 spending a holiday on the island during the early part of 

 January. He states that, not trusting to hearsay, he made 

 several visits to the rookeries, and found abundant evidence 

 in support of the statement, as dead birds were lying about 

 in hundreds. 



Members will remember that in my paper reference was made 

 to the great mortality which took place among the birds 

 during 1905, and which was afterwards traced to the scarcity 

 of " whale-food " (Pteropoda), said to be the principal food 

 of the birds. In this instance the dead birds were found along 

 the beaches above high-water mark. They numbered many 

 thousands, and were found as far north as Sydney, and in 

 places hundreds of miles away from the rookeries. These 

 birds, when found, had little fat on their bodies. In that year, 

 when on " The Stacks" with the late Mr. H. P. C. Ashworth, 

 of this Club, we saw the birds coming in, and noticed on 

 examination their emaciated condition. 



Now, if we examine the dead birds this season, no trace of 

 starvation is apparent — all are plump and well nourished ; but 

 we do find marks of foxes' teeth on the heads of a very large 

 proportion of the dead birds. 



The following evidence was collected by my son during his 

 brief stay on the island : — 



Mr. Redmile, " Lakesyde," Ventnor, said he " had seen, 

 roughly speaking, 400 dead birds lying about, more Mutton- 

 birds than Penguins." 



Mr. Gus Smith, Cowes, stated " that foxes started destruction 

 at Smith's Rookery, where the birds cleaned out the burrows 



