230 



Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



Emu 



r Em 



List J 



Magazine, Bird-Lore, Wilson Bulletin, Journal of the South African 

 Ornithologists' Union, and Zoologist. 



Report ox the Ringing of Wild Birds. 



So far as the records go, the first ringing of wild birds took place 

 on 25th March, 1913, at Forest Caves, Phillip Island, Victoria, 

 when Messrs. L. G. Chandler, J. Gabriel, and H. Slaney placed 

 aluminium rings on 51 adult and young Short-tailed Petrels or 

 Mutton-Birds {Puffinus hrevicandus). All rings used were 

 numbered consecutively, and marked " B.O.C." (Bird Observers' 

 Club), " Melbourne." Then at Mud Island, Port Phillip Bay, 

 Victoria, on loth January, 1914, two of our members— Messrs. 

 L. G. Chandler and H. Slaney (both at present on active service) — 

 placed aluminium rings on the legs of 44 adult and young White- 

 faced Storm Petrels {Pelagodroma marina). 



Later on the subject of ringing birds was brought up before 

 the R.A.O.U., and it was decided to alter the markings on the 

 rings to " Inform R.A.O.U., Melbourne," and this was at once 

 carried out, and a specially printed register was obtained, so that 

 now all particulars of birds rung by either the B.O.C. or R.A.O.U. 

 members are permanently recorded. 



Under the new arrangement the following ringing has taken 

 place by R.A.O.U. members : — 

 nth December, 1915, Mud Island, Victoria. — 42 Pelagodroma 



marina. 

 2nd January, 1916, The Nobbics, Victoria. — 20 Puffinus -hrevi- 

 candus. 



1916, Mud Island, Victoria. — 39 Pelagodroma 



15th 

 8th 



^oth 



December, 

 marina. 

 December, 

 marina. 



November, 



1917, Mud Island, Victoria.- — 25 



Pelagodroma 

 Pelagodroma 



1918, Mud Island, Victoria. — ^57, 

 marina. 



From the above it will be seen that 95 birds were rung by the 

 B.O.C. and 183 by the R.A.O.U., making a total of 278 birds 

 actually rung. 



In the middle of February, 1914, a dead Pelagodroma marina 

 (White-faced Storm-Petrel) with a B.O.C. ring numbered 6 on 

 its leg, was picked up at Gembrook by " Ekans," and forwarded 

 to Mr. Donald Macdonald. This bird was rung on loth January, 

 1914. 



On 30th November, 1918, during a ringing visit paid to Mud 

 Island, a Petrel was found in its burrow bearing a R.A.O.U. ring 

 numbered 116. This ring was placed on this bird on i6th Decem- 

 ber, 1916. 



As time passes many more birds will no doubt be rung, and it 

 is confidently expected that valuable information on migration 

 will be gathered thereby. 



A. Chas. Stone, Recorder. 



