NESTS AiW EGGS Ol- AUSTRALIAN. BIRDS. y33 



landing on Albatross Rock, they were all but retiuTiiug to Melbom-ne 

 without atcomplishiug their task, so gi-cal ;uid so dangeroiis was the 

 swell dashmg upon the luiprotected sides of the rotky home of the 

 Albatrosses. 



However, 1 give j\lr. Gabriel's concluding reuiwks of an interesting 

 but anxious trip, the account of which he read before the Pield 

 Natui-ahsts' Club of Victoria, 13th Januai-y, 1896 : " Early in the 

 morning of the 29th October we stai-ted for Albatross Island, and after 

 crossing the ' pot-boil,' north of the West Himter, we were not long in 

 approaching this lonely rock. Bold and rugged it is indeed, and doubly 

 so to-day, for the wind had changed round to the north and rolled a 

 nasty sea into the landing-place. We could see the Albatrosses sitting 

 on. their nests upon the shelving rocks, but after standing off and on 

 for some time in the hope of a change, we had to swallow oiu- disap- 

 pointment and retiUTi. The following day an easterly gale raged all 

 day, raising such a heavy swell that it was with little hope of success 

 that we stai-ted again at dawn on 31st October. The ' pot-boil ' was 

 very lively, and tossed oiu' little boat about like a cockle-shell. After 

 a couple of miles of this we despaired of getting on the rock, but as we 

 had the day before us we held on, and when within a few miles of the 

 island oui" skipper declared we would get on after all, we cheered up 

 considerably. Shortly after we were anchored amongst the kelp in 

 comparatively smooth water. Dreading the backwash of the cove 

 where the dingy was capsized last year, we scrambled on to the ledges 

 of an outlying rock, and, following a Penguin track, were soon through 

 the caves. In the gulchway we were siu-prised to see a Tasmanian 

 Flycatcher and a Bronze Cuckoo, with his resplendent gi-een back. 

 Climbing over the hill, the Black-cheeked Falcons showed by their clatter 

 that they had eggs, and a large Wedge-tailed Eagle soared away over- 

 head. We were rejoiced to fiad the Albatross ' rookery ' in full swing. 

 It was the beau ideal of a photogi-aphic day, with little wind and hght 

 fleecy clouds, and oui- artist lost no time in proceeding to work. As to 

 myself, I was soon arguing the point with the bii'ds r( possession of 

 eggs, the powerful mandibles on the one hand, and my foot and a bucket 

 on the other being the argumentative media. These beautiful birds 

 sit gi-acefuUy on their nests, but when distui-bed they floimder about 

 ill quite a ludicrous manner, strongly in contrast tO' then- glorious 

 appearance at sea. when they so majestically sweep tlu-ough the air on 

 expanded pinions. After its egg was taken the silly bii-d could not 

 make out where it had got to, and would put its head into the nest to 

 look for it." 



It is but fair to record that in both trips to Albatross Island the 

 party was in charge of Captain Mullens, of Circular Head. Captain 

 Mullens also successfully landed Mr. A. E. Brent, of Tasmania, the 

 same season, after the second trip of the Victorian Naturalists. 

 Probably the fine White-capped Albatrosses, on their difficult to-get-at 

 rock, will be left alone for many seasons to come. The Govenunent of 

 Tasmania, on the advice of the Field Natvualists' Club of Victoria, 

 extended protection to the White-capped Albatross for five years, 

 commencing 1898. 



