BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 169 



shilling ill the beginning of the season, then falling to twelve for 

 the same money. Of course, on the West Coast, and other far- 

 away places the prices are much higher. The wliolesale price has 

 been down as low as 6s. per 100, but, as a large importer remarked 

 to me, there is nothing in them at that price. AJutton-Birds cap- 

 tured last season represented £3,885 — no inconsiderable amount. 

 The fat and oil are worth about a shilhng a gallon, and are used 

 for manj' purposes. Saddlers utilize good quantities. Up to the 

 last few years the feathers were a wasted asset, on account of their 

 very strong odour. I am informed that a Gemian on one of the 

 islands now collects them and sends them to Germany, where the 

 odour is extracted, and they are used for many ])urposes." 



Further details concerning this very interesting si^ecies may 

 be found in A. .J. Campbell's "Nests and Eggs," The Emu, 

 P.R.S. of Tasmania, and in my series of articles in The Weekly 

 Conner of 1905. 



FORSTER PETREL 

 [Puffinus gavia, Forster). 



Male. — Upper surface, including head, sooty-black; tail and 

 quills black; cheeks, sides of throat, and sides of neck dull ashy, 

 mottled with white ; throat and under surface pure white ; a patcli 

 of sooty-black in the region of the thighs; " bill dark grey, lighter 

 and more yellowish-grey on the under mandibles; tarsi and toes 

 pinkish flesh colour, stained with blackish-brown along the front 

 of the tarsus and on the outer edge of the toes; the webs darker; 

 iris brownish-black " (W. Buller). Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 about 345; bill, 34; wing, 215; tail, 62; tarsus, 45. 



Female. — Upper surface similar to male, but the ashy-brown 

 on the sides of the neck extends down the sides of the breast ; centre 

 of the throat mottled with ashy-brown ; sides of the body smoky- 

 brown. 



Nestling. — Covered with thick down, slate coloured on the 

 upper and white on the under surface. 



Nest. — A burrow some 3 feet long, with a fairly large nest- 

 ing cavity at the end. Breeds in colonies or rookeries. 



Eggs. — "Clutch one; oval in shape, or mor.^ pointed at one 

 end; texture of shell comparatively fine; surface slightly glossy; 

 colour pure white. Dimensions in inches: — 2.2 x 1.55" (A. J. 

 Campbell). 



Breeding Season. — October chiefly. 



Geographical Distribution. — Seas of Tasmania (doubtful). New 

 South Wales, South Australia, and probably other parts of Aus- 

 tralia; also New Zealand. 



Observations. — Some doubt exists as to whether this species 

 should really be included among the sea-birds frequenting our 

 waters, but as it is found off the coast of South Australia and New 



