NESTS A.\'D EGGS OV AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 863 



jimr., aud myself to Phillip Island, Wcsteniport, November, 1884, we 

 secured a paii- of yoimg Pacific Gulls. One survived, which Mr. 

 Borthwick c:irefully watched through its seasonal moults till 1888, when 

 it donned full plumage. It tirnied out a fierce, as well as a fine 

 creature, and would " go " for anything except its master, leaving un- 

 mistakable evidences of its formidable neb on any such soft material 

 as luiprotected flesh. I am not quite siu'e wliether I imderstood 

 Mr. Borthwick to say that this bird swallowed holus bolus a clutch of 

 ducklings, but, judging from tlii^ atta-cks made by these Gulls in a state 

 of natui'e on Petrels aud other defenceless birds, it was quite capable of 

 such, aji exploit. Mr. Borthwiek's bird, being reared in a Scotch 

 family, readily took to porridge, and appeared remarkably fond of it. 



During the several expeditions of the Field Naturalists' Club of 

 Victoria to Bass Strait, we had ample opportimities of examining the 

 breeding places of the Pacific Gidl. One, on the inner islet of New 

 Yeai-'s Islands, off King Island, was a good nurseiy — the nests not being 

 placed too close to each other, but at intervals, sheltered with salt-bush. 

 On North-east Island, Kent Group, we found several nests on ledges of 

 rock adorned with pig-face weed (M ei^emhrianthemum ). bearing large 

 white flowers. One so situated made a perfect photographic pictiire 

 (see illustration). Again, on islets in Franklin Sound, Fumeaux 

 Group, many nests of Pacific Gulls were observed, which were warmlv 

 constructed of grass (roots and all) and wild flowers, placed on the 

 ground, and sheltered by tussock grass, saltbush, or points of jutting 

 rock. 



The birds frequently betray their nests bv flving overhead, and 

 uttering their hoarse, bark-like c^lls. 'Tis music to a naturalist's ear 

 to hear, amid the howlinsr of the wind, their calls in such wild places. 



All our trips to the islands occurred during the month of November, 

 and judging by circumstances, the laying season for the Pacific Gulls 

 commences about the middle of October, and probably continues into 

 December. In Western Australia the Pacific Gull commences to lay 

 in September. 



The young in down arc dull or dirty white, dappled with black. 



FAMILY— STERCORARTID.gi; : SKUAS. 



658. — Mf.galestrts ANTARCTICA, Lcssou. (,599) 



SKUA. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol, vii., pi. 21. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mu^!., vol. xxv., p. 319. 



Previow T>e criptions of Eggs. — Layard and Hutton : Travers : Trans. 

 New Zealand Inst., vol. v., p. 218 (1873) ; Potts : Trans. New 

 Zealand Inst., vol. vi., p.' 153 (1874I : Saunders: Trans, Rov. 

 Snc. V0I cxi'iii,. p 163 fi'SyS) ; Kidder and Coues : Smith- 

 sonian Miscell. Coll.. vol. xiii.. Art 3 (1878): Campbell: 

 Southern Science Record (1883I ; Bnller : Birds of New 

 Zealand, vol. ii., p. 65 (1888). 



Gengrnphirnl Dhtrihifinv . — Seas of Queensland, New South Wales. 

 Victoria. South and West Australia, and Tasmania ; also New Zealand 



