^0^™] BASSET HULL, Archipelago of the Recherche. 277 



A Visit to the Archipelago of the Recherche 

 S.W. Australia 



By A. F. BASSET HULL. C.F.A.O.U., Hon. Ornithologist 

 Australian Museum, Sydney. 



I. THE NARRATIVE. 



The Archipelago of the Recherche lies between 121 deg. 30 

 min. and 124 deg. 10 min. E. long. There are about 100 islands 

 in the group, and numerous rocks and shoals. It was named 

 after one of the ships of the French explorer D'Entrecasteaux, 

 and was surveyed in 1802 by Captain Matthew Flinders of the 

 Investigator. H.M.Ss. Waicrivitch (1897) and Penguin (1900) 

 carried out more detailed surveys, and Admiralty charts were 

 published in 1897 and corrected in 1901. 



Some years ago I made incjuiries as to the possible means of 

 access to these islands, with a view to investigating the bird 

 life thereon, but the cjuotations for transport were so high that 

 the project was abandoned. In 1921 Mr. A. S. Le Souef made 

 further inquiries in the same direction, his object being to secure 

 some of the mammals known to inhabit the larger islands of the 

 group. He collected a considerable amount of information, and 

 obtained a quotation for a motor launch that appeared to be 

 reasonable. However, other business calling him to Europe, he 

 kindly handed the correspondence to me to make such use of it 

 as I might think fit. One of the letters was from Mr. J. Whar- 

 ton White, of Esperance, W.A., who stated that he had visited 

 the Islands for over twenty years, putting sheep on and ofif. He 

 gave an enthusiastic account of the plentiful and varied birds 

 and animals to be found there, his list of the former including 

 "Mutton Birds, Penguins, Gannets, tv/o or three varieties; Red- 

 bills (Oyster-catchers), Molly Hawks, Cape Barren Geese, two 

 or three varieties of Quail, Mother Carey's Chickens, and a 

 variety of small birds." He added, "The Penguins, Mutton 

 Birds, and Mother Carey's Chickens nest in the ground, digging 

 holes like small rabbit holes from a foot to two feet deep." This 

 list, and the biological details as to the nesting liabits of the 

 three burrowing birds, made most attractive reading, and I 

 determined to visit the islands, if possible. I therefore sub- 

 mitted the matter to Mr. H. L. White, of "Belltrees," N.S.W., 

 who at once offered to find the funds for the expedition. He 

 also agreed to allow two representatives of the Australian Mu- 

 seum to have passage in the motor launch. 



On the 5th November last, accomi)anied by Mr. Henry Grant, 

 Taxidermist at the Australian Museum, I left Sydney by the 

 s.s. Katoomha for Albany, where we were to meet Mr. Wright, 

 Assistant Taxidermist at the same institution, at that time on 

 an expedition to the NuUarbor Plain, on the Transcontinental 



