^"'yii^'] If I'LL, Avifauna of New South Wales Islands. I03 



which |j;a\-i' us a most gratifying exhibition oi their niarx-ellous 

 powers ol swinuning and shooting out oi the w.'Ilt. we airixed oiT 

 the western end of Broughton Ishmd about (S.15. West Islet was 

 visited, the landing proving practical)le. but there was not much 

 ground available for nests, the islet being mostly bare rock. 

 However, amongst the tussocks and scrub on the top we found 

 a number of burrows, two of which contained young Puffinus 

 sphcniiriis about ten wt'eks old. the true feathers rei)lacing the 

 down to a great extent. No other birds were seen on this islet. 

 which is barely an acre in extent. We then proceeded to North 

 Islet, about half a mile distant, but, after several attempts at 

 landing, we had to abandon it as impracticable, the surge running 

 all round and the sharp rocks showing their teeth in every direc- 

 tion. This islet is rather larger than West Islet, but even more 

 rocky, and with less scrub on the summit. The water in the 

 vicinity was wonderfully clear, the huge boulders on the bottom 

 and the shoals of fish swimming about making a most attractive 

 sight. 



We then left for Little Broughton Island, at the extreme eastern 

 end of the group. This is a large island, about a quarter of a 

 mile in length, and over 300 feet in height. After circum- 

 navigating the island we effected a landing where the cliffs were 

 lowest, quite close to a curious tunnel in the rock into which the 

 sea rushed with the noise of an exploding cannon. We had a 

 tough climb to reach the top. the cliff sloping steeply upwards. 

 The top was covered with either tussocks, low scrub, or masses 

 of convolvulus. All this growth was from waist deep to over 

 our heads, and the labour of getting through it and at the same time 

 searching for nests can be well imagined. At the outer edges of 

 the scrub we found countless burrows, empty, and mostly showing 

 no signs of recent occupation, but under some Westringia scrub 

 I heard a muffled wailing that indicated the presence of Piiffimis 

 sphenurus. After wrenching away some of the bushes I discovered 

 three birds — two together in one burrow and one in another. 

 They were all P. spJieiuiriis. and the two companion.j proved to be 

 both males. 



Crossing a belt of thicj^: scrub, consisting of Wcsl.yi)igia, Moiioioca 

 elliptica, and Banksia integrifolia, we came out on the north- 

 western slope. This is a very steep hillside, sandy, and densely 

 clothed with convolvulus, about 10 acres in extent. It was 

 positively riddled with burrows, and the entrances to many were 

 marked by fresh sand, scratched out evidently on the previous 

 night : but, although we dug out quite a number of burrows, we 

 found no occupants. The main ridge or saddle of the island was 

 thickly covered with low Banksia trees, with sparse undergrowth, 

 and here were no signs of burrows or tracks of birds. This was 

 a puzzling result. Nearly half the island deserted and showing no 

 trace of recent occupation, and another large part showing signs of 

 active " clearing out '' operations in the burrows, but no birds 

 visible! I had confidently expected to find either the new Petrel 



