1^6 Macgillivray, Notes on Sea-Binls. [,sf "jan. 



toma) ; then, later, the Black-browed Mollymawk (T. melanophrys) 

 appeared. When off Port MacDonnell a few Silver Gulls were in 

 the wake ; two Southern Skuas (C. lonnhergi), two Black-browed 

 Moll37mawks [T. melanophrys), and, for the first time, two Shy 

 Albatrosses {Diomedella caiitus). This latter bird has the beak 

 and under surface of the wings coloured similarly to those of the 

 Wandering Albatross {D. exulans), but its upper surface is more 

 after the pattern of the Mollymawks, but not so dark, being more 

 grey than brown, with a few white spots over the base of the 

 pinions. 



About I p.m. Cape Bridgewater came into view, and later the 

 Lawrence Rocks, off Portland, Julia Percy Island looming up 

 ahead soon after. Several Skuas followed the boat for the greater 

 part of the day, four being in attendance towards sunset, together 

 with twelve Black-browed Mollymawks {T. melanophrys) and two 

 Yellow-billed Mollymawks {T. chlororhynchns). No Shy Albatrosses 

 [D. cautus) were seen in the afternoon. A few White-faced 

 Storm-Petrels {Pelagodroma marina) were seen skimming over the 

 sea. One Gannet was seen when near the Lawrence Rocks, where 

 they breed. 



27th June. — We entered Port Phillip Heads early in the 

 morning. Two Shy Albatrosses {D. cautus) and two Black- 

 browed Mollymawks [T. melanophrys) followed for a few miles 

 down the Bay, and then left us to the Silver {L. novce-hollandice) 

 and Pacific Gulls {Gabianus pacificiis). 



Nesting of White'rumped Swift (Cypselus pacificus). 



By (Commodore) Henry L. Cochr.ane, R.X., M.B.O.L. 

 Off the north-east coast of China, and within easy reach of a 

 well-frequented neighbourhood, lie two islands. Both are so 

 designated on the chart. Certainly the nearer of the two is worthy 

 of the name, but the outer one is nothing more nor less than a rock, 

 and not a large one at that. True, it possesses a beacon on its 

 highest point ; but, even with this added distinction, it is some- 

 what of a stretch of dignity to confer the importance of an island 

 upon such an unpretentious lump of broken limestone. 



From its very insignificance probably arises the fact of its 

 immunity from observation, and only the necessity of an annual 

 whitewashing of the beacon aforesaid ever occasions the rock to 

 human visitation. That anything living should for an instant 

 dream of making a home on this small, inhospitable boulder 

 seemed the remotest of contingencies ; and, when it was reported 

 after one of these annual whitewashings that "Martins" had 

 been encountered in the crevices there, the statement was 

 received with considerable incredulity. 



No time was lost in making further investigation, th(^ weatlier 

 being propitious, and the time of year — early June — equally so. 

 For any form of rock-visiting or beach-landing — ^given reasonably 

 moderate weather — there is no boat more suitable than the 



