Iq6 Stray Feathers. [isf "jan. 



the remains of the previous week had been buried under the sand, 

 I found another Prion of the same species as that found in the 

 previous week, another Yellow-nosed Albatross, a White-headed 

 Petrel {(Estrelata lessoni, Garnot), and an Indian-runner Duck ! 

 The latter may perhaps have been blown into the sea at Rottnest 

 Island, or else washed overboard from a ship. 



In addition to these finds on the beach, a Giant Petrel {Macro- 

 nectes giganteus, Gmel.) was picked up at Fremantle in an exhausted 

 condition at the beginning of July, and died soon after it was 

 found. It was presented to the Museum by members of the 

 Fremantle Fire Brigade. A Reef-Heron {Demiegretta sacra. Gmel.) 

 was also blown inland, and was presented to the Perth Zoo. where 

 the director, Mr. E. A. Le Souef, showed it to me. 



This is doubtless only a fraction of the havoc wrought by the 

 stormy weather in the immediate neighbourhood of Fremantle 

 — say five miles of the coast-line. Multiply it to take into account 

 the 1,000 miles of the coast-line of the State over which such 

 storms are felt, and we shall have a faint idea of the terrible 

 destruction of sea-bird life produced by a strong blow. 



Brief notes on the birds mentioned are appended :— 



Pied Cormorant {Hypoleucus varius perthi, Mathews). — This is 

 the common "Shag" of the Swan River. There seems to be 

 some doubt as to how much further south its range extends, the 

 species found in the Recherche Archipelago, off the south coast, 

 being the White-breasted Cormorant {Hypoleucus fuscescens). It 

 would be interesting to know whether the ranges of the two species 

 overlap, and, if so, where. The birds on the Swan River are all 

 immature, or. perhaps more correctly, in non-breeding plumage ; 

 presumably at the breeding season they go out to sea to nest on 

 the various islands off the coast, and at their breeding-grounds 

 they are found in the bright nuptial plumage. A sufficient number 

 remains on the river throughout the year to-prevent the absentees 

 being noticed, which would point to their not breeding in the 

 first season. 



Yellow -nosed Albatross [Diomedea chlororhynchus, Gmel.) — The 

 two specimens noted above are of interest as showing that the 

 species is not uncommon on the west coast in the winter months, 

 and supplement the remarks I made in a i^revious article {Emu, 

 vol. XV., p. 25). 



White-headed Petrel {(Jistrelata lessonii leucocephala, Forster). — 

 I cannot ascertain whether this bird has been obtained in Western 

 Australia before. All the works I have consulted follow the 

 British Museum Catalogue, and give " Austrahan Seas and Southern 

 Indian Ocean," with the exception of Hall's " Key," which gives 

 this State in the distribution. The reference to Southern Indian 

 Ocean might have been the reason for this, but the specimen 

 referred to in the British Museum Catalogue was captured in 

 S. lat. 4o|°. E. long. i25|-° — nearly 500 miles south of the 

 Western Australian coast-line. 



Giant Petrel {Macronectes giganteus, Gmel.) — .Mr. G. M. 



