8^ N£srs Aa'd eggs of Australian birds. 



boat and his boy had served their apprenticeship at Mutton Bird egging. 

 The remainder of us were novices, but proved very apt pupils, and 

 quickly learnt by the feehng of the stick whether we had gi'appled the 

 egg or the bird. Numerous holes were at too steep an angle or other- 

 wise awkward to rake out. It is extremely gratifying, after tediously 

 scraping away in the dark for perhaps several auiautes, to see the white 

 egg roll up to the surface in the curved end of the stick. Other times 

 when an egg was successfully grappled and was being withdi'awu, the 

 poor bird would follow it up, and by the aid of its cheek throw it back. 

 In shallow burrows, where the daylight pierced, we observed them go 

 through that perfoi-mance in several instances. Many birds had not 

 yet laid, and would not till the following momiug. These would often 

 rush out if the stick were rudely tlu'ust m, or be mi willingly cUagged 

 out by the crook. In eitlier case we invariably secui'ed them ; if they 

 contained an egg we accordingly delivered them ; but we had to beware 

 of their forcible beak and toe-nails, to guard oui' hands from being 

 lacerated. We soon became expert at this work. The patient was 

 caught by the flights of each wing, and twirled over upon its back on 

 the grass ; we pLiced our knees on the extended wings with the bii'd's 

 tail from us and its head " in chauceiy " between oui' knees, holdiug a 

 leg in either hand; we turned the thumbs downward, gently and cai'c- 

 lully pressed the abdomen, .then the egg was delivered. The owner 

 scampered off, to all appeai-ances dehghted, and finally disappeared over 

 a clitf and flew out tO' sea. The locomotion of the buds is a peculiar 

 waddle, with legs extended and apart and wings flappiug along the 

 gi-ouud. When in a liiUTy they stumble against the slightest obstacle, 

 which often brings them over upon their side, or to the riglit-about tuni. 



On reckoniug oiu- takings for the three days, the , total exceeded 

 300 specimens, distributed as follows: 1 Sea Eagle, 14 Mutton Birds 

 with li50 eggs, 4 Seagulls with 22 eggs, 4 Penguins with 2 eggs, a pair 

 of Hooded l3ottrels witli 3 eggs, and a basket of fish. Thus ended a 

 most joyful and instructive outing amongst the Mutton Birds. 



The account of my last Mutton Bird eggmg excui'sion appeared in 

 ■ The Australasian," 2nd January, 1897, and substantially is as follows: 

 We leave Hastings in the centre-board fishing boat " Stormy Petrel," 

 bound for the Mutton Bird rookeries on Cape WoUomai, Plullip Island. 

 Our party numbers four, in charge of skipper J. F. Bi'own. 



The night is beautiful and balmy. ihe moon, just past her full, 

 nses red, betokening a continuance of heat. We ' shake down ' con- 

 fortably on the deck of the boat, the various night voices of birds — 

 Sea Cui'lews, Greeushanks, Cormorants, Swans, Ducks, Plovers, &c., — 

 gathered on the mud flats, sounding strangely in our ears. 



About 2 a.m. we drift on a swiftly-ebbing tide past San Remo 

 (Griffith's Point), whore all is silent, and where the buildings, sheltered 

 beneath a gi'ove of banksia trees, are gleaming in the moonlight. In a 

 snug, sandy bight, on the lee of Cape Wolloniai, we land about 3 a.m. 

 Cape WoUomai is about two miles and a^half due south of San Remo, 

 and about twenty-two miles from Hastings. 



Tents were pitched in the bright moonlight, and all luggage wa.s 

 ashore by sunrise. Our quarters were exceedingly comfortable, being 



