NESTS A.VD ECUS Of AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



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on an egg, nearly hatclicd. I nio;i*ui'ed several burrows of these birds : 

 tlic ouLrauce was from 6 to TJ inches in diameter, the depth from lA to 

 2i feet, and the height about a foot. When they have finished cleaning 

 out tlie bun-ows, which process male and female accomphsh together, 

 they remain quietly until the last rays of the sun have disappeared, 

 then anyone can hear them call, which is similar to the Black Swan 

 (Chenupis at rata), and, on coming out, they stop a moment, pick up 

 a few leaves or gi'ass and go back into the burrows ; this they repeat 

 several times, and always on entering the chamber they make a peculiar 

 noise together. After dark both come out, rise and cii'cle round, 

 calling until they attract others, and when a large flock is assembled 

 they fly away to their haimts on the ocean, retui-ning before daylight. 

 At tliis season, before they lay, they are very fat. When caught, on 

 their return from the ocean, if they cannot protect themselves by 

 scratching and biting, they expectorate a lot of oily matter on their 

 assailant. The fii-st time I caught one of these birds it treated me in 

 tliis manner. As soon as they have finished building their careless 

 nest, which is a deepening in the chamber, with a few leaves in it, the 

 female lays one white egg, about the size of that produced by a Brahma 

 fowl. When the female lays, the male separates from her during the 

 day, wliile she is hatching, and remains in a separate burrow of his 

 own not far away. The first egg of the Procellaria parkinsoni I found 

 on the 28th November, 1882, at the Little Bai-rier. After this date 

 I found and examined several, but never found more than one egg or 

 young in a nest, and the female always sitting on the egg. 



" I watched these birds by moonlight, and have seen the male come 

 out of his biuTow and fly away ; returning after a time, and circUng 

 round in the air, he swooped down to the bun-ow of the female, 

 striking the ground with a force that could be heard some distance. 

 He stood outside a little, then entered, and I heard a whimpering noise. 

 After this a bird came out and flew away, returning after a time to the 

 same burrow and in a few minutes once again emerged and flew away ; 

 but returned before daylight, and using the same precaution on entering 

 as before. Then one bird came out and went to the second burrow. 

 I examined the burrow where this process was going on, and on putting 

 my hand in it was severely bitten, which was repeated on my trying to 

 lay hold of the bird, wliich di'ew back into the chamber. So I dug with 

 a tomahawk till I reached where the bird was sitting, and tried to take 

 the egg from imder it, wliich I partially succeeded in doing, when I was 

 again so severely bitten that I had to let it go. As soon as I did so 

 the bird with its bill rolled it back agam into the nest. I protected 

 my hand and then took the egg, wliich was quite fresh. My dog went 

 to the birdj whicli attacked him fm-iously. On examination I foiuid 

 this was a female. I then went to the other burrow where I saw the 

 bird go in. This bird defended itself in the same plucky manner. 

 There was no egg in this chamber, and on examination I foimd this 

 bird was a male. About the end of December I found a female in a 

 burrow, with one small chick covered with gi-ey down, which she 

 defended furiously. I have also found very young birds in Januai-y, 

 even as late as April. As soon as the young birds are a few days old, 



