>^e;2 nests and EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



inside lining of the .shell. Dimensions in inches from vario'US loealities — 

 Abi-olhos Islands, Western Australia: (1) 2-17 x 1-45, (2) 2-13 x 1-46, 

 (3) 1-85 X 1-41. From Norfolk Island: (1) 2-15 x 1-4, (2) 2-05 x 1-4. 

 From Ma.lden Island (mid-Pacific): (1) 2-2 x 1-48, (2) 2-1 x 1-46. 

 (Plate 24). 



Ohservafio?!^. — The Noddy Tern is probably the most numerous of 

 all oui- sea birds — of Terns at all events — on tropical and sub-tropical 

 islands. The bird is rarely seen off the southern coast of Australia. 

 The Noddy — with familiar dusky plumage, relieved by the crown of the 

 head, moixld)' white — is as harmless as a. dove. 



Many liave been the winters describing its great numbers and its 

 nesting places. Gilbert, in Gould's work, has left us a faithful picture 

 of what he saw of the crowds of Noddies on Hwitnian's Abrolhos, 

 Western Australia, during his explorations there in 1839. During my 

 own visit to that most interesting gi-oup of limestone islands, exactly 

 fifty years afterwards, I found bird-life there in much about the same 

 state as when disturbed by Gilbert. 



Some of the islands — which, by the way, are about fifty miles off 

 Champion Bay — for prodigious numbers of birds, brought to my recollec- 

 tion the incident mentioned in the jomniey of the Israelites, when Quail 

 fell among them. Truly it seemed to me, when upon Rat Island, the face 

 of the earth as well as the sea. was covered with birds " as it were a day's 

 journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side," 

 round about our camp. For there were Noddy Terns, on their sea-weed 

 built nests, breeding as closely as they could pack upon the salt-bushes ; 

 Sooty Terns were^ croaking over tlieir tasks on the floor of the ground 

 under th& bushes; while the ground luiderneath, being honeycombed 

 with buiTOWs, contained brooding Petrels, which moaned and groaned, 

 especially at night, when it might really be imagined " the wliole 

 creation " (that is the island) " groaneth and travaileth in pain." 



Mr. G. H. Beddoes (manager of the guano station) and I calculated 

 that there were about 300 acres on Rat Island occupied by birds, and 

 that they averaged at least one bird to every square yard, giving a total 

 of 1 ,452,000 birds on one small island alone. Reference to the illustra- 

 tion, " Noddies Nesting," will give a very fair idea of the face of the 

 island. Some of my observations relating to the Sooty Tern may 

 be read in connection with tlie Noddies, which are usually associated 

 together in breeding colonies. 



Records kept upon Rat Island show that the Noddy Terns appeared 

 for the breeding season, 14t]i August, 1888, and 16th Augu.st, 1889, 

 respectively. They are usually first heard at night, ;urd then appear 

 gradually for a few days before they an-ive in great crowds. Tlie 

 earliest eggs are deposited about the beginning of October, but lajnng 

 continues for the two or three following months. About the break up 

 of the weather in April, all tlie Noddies, with their young, depart. Not 

 a solitai-y bird remains. A week or two pi-ior to the final exodus, 

 the birds leave the island daily, Init retmm at night. This may bo a 

 method of exercising the young before the last great fiighl. There 



