IQIO A'ESTS AND EGGS Of AUSTRAUA.V BIRDS. 



739. EUDYPTULA MINUU, Fol'stLT. (GG'J) 



LITTLE PENGUIN. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. S4. 



Kejcrcncc. — Cat. Birds Brit. .Mus., vol. xxvi., \i. 64O. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1S4S), 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. 5-!o (1S65) ; I'olts : Trans. New 

 Zealand Inst., vol. ii., p. 75 (1S70); Uuller ; Birds of New 

 Zealand (1873), vol. ii., p. 301 (iSSS) ; Legge : I'roc;. Roy. Soc, 

 Tasmania, p.' 134 (iSSS) ; North; Austn. Mus. Cat, p. 349 (1889J; 

 Le Souiif ; Ibis, p. 420 (1895). 



UciKjrajiltica/ Distrihutioii. — Coasl.s of Ntnv Sutith Wak's, N'lcUiria, 

 South and West-Australia and Tasmania ; also New Zealand. 



Nest. — A little di'v grass or weeds, placed in cavities uiuler or l)elweeii 

 rocks,;a hollow scraped out underneath tussock grass or other vegetation 

 or soinetiines a deserted Petrel's burrow, usually on i.^olatcd islands. 



Eyy.'f. — Clutch, two ; iucliued to jiyriforni or roundish in 

 shape ; toxtm-e of .slicll coarse ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, 

 white, with a faint greenish tinge, especially when fresh. Dimensions 

 in inches of selected clutches: A (1) 2-32 x 1-68, (2) 2-31 x 1-67; 



B (1) 2-3 X 1-62, (2) 2-19 X 1-59 ; C (1) 2-24 x 1-G7, (2) 2-2 x 1-G8. 



Ohsi_'rvu(ii)ii!<. — These cvu"ious little creatures, marvellous for their 

 diving powers, frequent the soutliern coast line of Australia, also the 

 coasts of Tasmania, and New Zealand, making their breeding homes ou 

 the islands adjacent thereto. 



The Little Penguin has a coat of light-blue and a silveiy-white under- 

 surface. Total length, 18 inches. As Gould points out. Little Puiguins 

 are numerous on nearly all the islands in Bass .Strait from SepI ember 

 to January — the breeding sea.son. Probably they are found far out 

 a.t sea diu'ing the remainder of the year. From what he personally 

 jbservcd while residing on these islands, the task of incubation seemed 

 nnibually to bs divided by both sexes, each I'egularly relieving the other 

 during the night. 



My introduction to tliLSe Penguins was on Philli]) Island, Oclobei, 

 1880, where there was a small "rookery'' on Red Point. What witl 

 tlie quaiTying for red granite and other disturbances, the birds have 

 departed. A few, however, may still be found about the Nobbies at 

 the other, (western) end of the island. 



In the vicinity of our camp on the Kent Group, luimbers of Little 

 Penguins made the night hideous with their weird, groaning cries. 

 One afternoon, we explored a " rookery " on the side of Murray Pass, 

 the locality being an ascent from the sea of about 1 in 2 for alxnit 300 

 or 400 yards. Between the rocks thick cro])s of the yellow-llowering 

 Goodenia and tus.socky grass flourished under sturdy she-oaks. HeiT- 

 abouts we found many nooks and crevices of rock, or snug places under 

 rank herbage (see illustration), tenanted with a Penguin sitting upon 



