■1^6 Australasian Ornithologists Union. list'Tan 



paper on some Tasmanian birds which had come under his own 

 notice, and having been highly commended for the keen observa- 

 tion he had shown in gathering his field notes, a vote of thanks 

 was accorded to the chairman, who declared the Congress 

 closed. 



The Camp-oXjt. 



The camp-out excursion of the members and friends of the 

 Aust. O.U. to the Mutton-Bird rookeries on Phillip Island, 

 Western Port, was an unqualified success, and passed off without 

 a hitch of any kind. It was originally intended to have two 

 camping parties — one near Cape Wollomai* and the other at The 

 Narrows, on the Back Beach, about 4 miles to the east of the- 

 Cape, but it was decided at the last moment to amalgamate the 

 two camps and pitch at the latter locality — an arrangement that 

 proved entirely satisfactory. 



The following 3 1 persons (the majority remaining the whole 

 week, while the others came for a day or so) took part in the 

 encampment, namely : — Mesdames Coghill, Campbell, Thomson, 

 Relph ; Misses Campbell (3), M'Hafifie, O'Rorke ; Dr. T. P. 

 MTnerney ; Messrs. A. J. and T. C. Campbell, A. J. Relph, 

 Mattingley (2), Ladwig, Neuendorff, F. Littler (Tasmania), D. Le 

 Souef, Robt. Hall, C. Coles, W. Coles, R. E. Trebillcock, C. E. 

 Lane, J. W. Mellor (South Australia), Scott, G. E. Shepherd, S. 

 P. Townsend, D. MacDonald (special correspondent The Argus) ; 

 Masters Lc Souef, Campbell. Visitors — Mr. and Mrs. W. C. 

 MacLean. 



On Saturday, 22nd November, about half the party, including 

 the ladies, proceeded to the scene of the camp overland. The 

 rest, with the heavier baggage, were conveyed in the Government 

 steamer Albert, through the courtesy of the Hon. the Minister of 

 Public Works, on the recommendation of Mr. W. C. MacLean, 

 of the Ports and Harbours Department. Conveyances were in 

 readiness at Cowes and Newhaven to carry the passengers to 

 the camping site, which was about 6 and 4 miles respectively 

 from the landing places. All were safely under canvas at dark. 



The camp (8 tents) was splendidly situated, sheltered by 

 tea-tree, 'neath a banksian grove, with a well of sweet water in 

 the midst, and a rookery of Mutton-Birds in the sand-dunes at 

 the rear — a veritable ornithologists' paradise (see illustration). 

 The primary object of the excursion was to visit the various 

 Mutton-Bird rookeries at egging time, but, in addition to this, 

 members indulged in fishing, shooting, sketching, photographing, 

 entomological and marine collecting, &c. 



The sandy rises, riddled with rabbit-like burrows, mostly 

 containing birds, behind the camp were the chief centre of 



* Miss Anna F. M'Haffie writes: — "The name is pronounced lVdo/-a7/i-t—at 

 least,- my father always gave it that pronunciation, and said it meant Cape Woodlands, 

 or Woody Point. I suppose he took it originally from the blacks. None of the 

 Western Port tribe lived on the island in my father's time (the ' forties '), the head- 

 quarters being about the Bass River." 



