884 A'ESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



with the expeditions of the Field Natui-ahsts' Club of Victoria, New 

 Year's Islands, oS the north-west comer of King Island — a. place thick 

 with birds, also with snakes, in fact it is notorious that nearly all the 

 Mutton Birds' islands ai'e infested with large snakes of the copper-head 

 species (Hojihcephalus superbus). On the opposite side of the Strait 

 we foiuid the birds numerous on North-east Island, off Kent Group. 

 We also found them on Babel Island, off the east coast of Flinders 

 Island, aaid on several islands in Franklin Soiuid, between Flinders and 

 Cape BaiTen Islands. Perhaps the greatest rookery in the whole strait 

 is on Chappell Island, at the western entrance of Franklin Sound, where 

 we spent a day and a night (26th November, 1893), at the very height 

 of the egging season. It was, indeed, a joyful and astonishing experience 

 never to be forgotten. 



Chappell Island, or " Hiunmocky," as the islanders call it, is about two 

 miles long by a brcadtli of abovit ai mile, and is remarkable for its cone- 

 shaped hill in the centre, rising to a height of 650 feet. The whole of 

 the'i flat portion of the island, iinder tussock grass, salt-bushes, crops of 

 nettles and gardens of yellow immoi"telles, &c., is completely honey- 

 combed with the buiTow-like nests of the sooty-pluniaged birds. Our 

 cutter was moored to granite boiddei's in a serene little cove on the east 

 side. We walked across to Shag Boat-harbour, on the south side, 

 which accommodated the native bird-eggers' fleet — seven or eight 

 dovible-ended boats. These natives (half-castes), about forty, men, 

 women and children from the Mission Settlement on Cape Barren 

 Island, were ashore, some camped in sheds thatched with tussock grass, 

 others under the lee side of huge gi'anite rocks, with boat sails converted 

 into tents. We obtained some novel photogi-aphs of the island — boat- 

 harbour and fleet, group of bird-eggers, and eggei-s at work. 



At night we renew our acquaintance witli the multitudes of incoming 

 birds. About sundown the fonns of birds are just discerned dodging 

 over the horizon. Quickly they approach in perfect crowds, not straight, 

 but circling swiftly in all directions round the island. We look across 

 the channel, where the bold peaks of Flindei-s, piercing a billowy thimder- 

 cloud, are lighted up by the western twilight and afford an excellent 

 backgi'oiuid to the multitudes of dark birds cutting the air with whistling 

 wings to and fro past us. With darkness coming on apace many of the 

 birds ventiu-e on the island, and by eight o'clock nearly all are landed. 

 Then is heard such a row and a hubbulj — a perfect pandemonium — made 

 by thous;inds upon thousands of birds in tlieir buiTows, croaking, calling, 

 fighting each other or battling with snakes. After a surfeit of these 

 mai'vellous scenes and sounds we retire to rest, my brother Tom and I, 

 on oiu" tussock-made couch, protected by the boat's sail, on land — snakes 

 notwithstanding — the rest of the party afloat in tlie boat itself. 



Having touched at some of the breeding places, the histoi-y of this 

 exceedingly interesting bird may be briefly mentioned. From what I 

 have gathered from old sailors and sealers, but chiefly from the islandei's 

 who wore bom and bred in the locality, it appears that from about the 

 1.'5lli frO the 16th September the birds first amve to clean out tlieir 

 buiTows, and, it is presumed, also to mate.* Much house cleaning. 



• Some persons believe the birds are mated before they arrive. 



