XV. 1 Dove, Suiiu- Tdsnuiinaii Birds' Nesls. 2d^ 



•about I- inch in width, and very thin. I think tins must be the 

 Posidoiiia aiislralis. Hooker, a " seaweed " but not an alga, as 

 it belongs to the Howering plants {Naiadcce) ; this comes ashore 

 in great quantities at Devonport alter a north-wester. 



Observations on Albatrosses at Sea. 



By Eustace \V. Ferguson, M.H., Ch. M., Sydney (N.S.W.) 



During a recent voyage to England and back to Australia I 

 enjoyed numerous opportunities of observing Albatrosses, and, 

 although my notes cannot be regarded as conclusive, in the 

 absence of actual specimens procured, still I trust that my 

 observations may not be devoid of interest, as showing something 

 of the range of different species. Since my return I have had an 

 opportunity of studying Mr. G. M. Mathews's " Birds of Australia," 

 and my notes as regards species and sub-species are based, apart 

 from my own personal observations, entirely on that work. The 

 names given are those of Mr. Mathews's " List of the Birds of 

 Australia " (1913), while in brackets are given the names appearing 

 in the " Official Check-list of the R.A.O.U." (1913). 



The outward voyage to England was commenced in the latter 

 part of August, 1915, and was by the Suez Canal route ; my 

 observations of Albatrosses on this part of the trip were, there- 

 fore, limited to the portion of the Australian coast which lies 

 between Sydney and Fremantle. The return voyage was by way 

 of the Cape of Good Hope and Durban, and from South Africa 

 across to Australia and round to Sydney Albatrosses were daily 

 seen ; this portion of the voyage occupied the month of January. 

 On the way across the South Indian Ocean a south-easterly course 

 was shaped from Durban down to about the 41^ S. parallel, down 

 which we ran our easting. After passing the south-west corner 

 of Australia, a return was made to Fremantle, thence our course 

 was across the Bight to Melbourne and round to Sydney. 



Diomedea exulans, Linne {Diomedea exulaiis, Linnaeus). 

 Sub-species : — 



D. exulcms exulans, Linne : South Atlantic Ocean, New 



Zealand, and East Australian seas. 

 D. exulans rothschildi, Mathews : South Atlantic Ocean, 



New Zealand, and East Australian seas. 

 D. exulans chionoptera, Salvin : South Indian Ocean. 

 In my trip I passed through the ranges of all three sub-species, 

 and endeavoured to find some feature which would enable the 

 different sub-species to be distinguished while on the wing. Many 

 immature birds were noted, ranging from forms which were of a 

 dark l^-own, with white face, white under wings, and pinkish bill, 

 to forms in which the only evidence of immaturity remaining was 

 a dark cap on the head. The following notes relate to birds which, 

 except for the vermiculations on mantle and chest, were white- 



