034 A'ESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRAL/AN BIRDS. 



Ml'. Brent was good enough to send me an account of a battle he 

 witnessed between a Wedge-tailed Eagle and a fine Albatross. He 

 says : " The Albatross was flying round just at the back of the large 

 ' rookery ' and immediately over the deep gorge after passing through 

 number two cave, when the Eagle stnick her, and fastening to her, both 

 fell to earth about half way down the bank, rolling over each other to 

 the bottom. I made my way towards them, but before I reached the 

 spot the Eagle had made an entry just at the back of the Albatross's 

 head, and she was dead. From the start the Eagle had it all his own 

 way. I think this old wanior was used to his work, because more than 

 half a dozen fresh carcasses were found near the spot.' 



The laying season for this species probably commences as early as 

 September, or possibly Augiist. 



If it be true that in New Zealand this bird's place is taken 

 by ?'. salvini, then the tnie T. cautus breeds nowhere save on Albatross 

 Rock, at the western entrance to Bass Strait, and perhaps on Mewstone 

 Island, at the south coast of Tasmania. 



It is with peculiar pleasiu-e I give as illusti-ations Mr. Le Souef's 

 pictures, " An Albatross Rookery " and " White-capped Albati'osses 

 Nesting." 



695. — Thalassijgeron culminatus, Gould. — (620) 

 FLAT-BILLED ALBATROSS. 



figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 41. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxv., p. 451. 

 Previous Description of Eggs. — Emerson : Ornithologist and Oologist, 

 p. 21 (1886). 



Geor/raiihical iDifitrihiitiotK — Seas of New South Wales, Victoria, 

 South and West Australia and Tasmania; also New Zealand and the 

 Southern Ocean in general, ranging to the Pacific coasts of Central 

 America. 



iVc-Y. — Composed outwardly of tussock grass and mud, lined inside 

 with fine grass and feathers. Situated on the top of a rock or a loamy 

 plain. Dimensions in inches : external diameter at top 12, at base 18; 

 egg cavity, 10 across by 5 deep (Emerson). 



Emjs. — Clutcli, one ; oval in form, smaller at one end ; both ends quite 

 blunt; colour, inclined tO' light creamy-white, with a ring of seemingly 

 fine, spattered, burnt sienna specks or spots, like those made by drawing 

 a brush of colour across a. stick, as a painter does to get the effect of 

 granite. They form a, ring about^ two inches broad round the larger end. 

 The centre of the ring runs together in the fine markings, making the 

 colour almost solid, and fading away from the outer edge almost to 

 needles' points. Dimensions in inches : 4-75 x 2-38 (Emerson). Accor- 

 d ng to Kutt-r : (1) 4-25 x 2-75, (2) 4-11 x 2-7. 



