THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 135 



and is situated about twenty miles from the extreme north-west 

 of Tasmania. The Group was discovered by Bass and Flinders 

 in 1798, during the memorable voyage on which Bass Strait was 

 proved to exist between Van Diemen's Land and New Holland. 

 After rounding the end of the West Hunter, they set out to a 

 rocky islet to the westward, which excited their curiosity owing 

 to the top being white with sea-birds. Here Bass landed, while 

 Flinders stood off and on in the ship, but so strong was the 

 current that he was carried some five miles away, and Bass had 

 great difficulty in rejoining him. He reported that after fighting 

 his way through the seals which lined the cliffs, he had arrived at 

 the top of the island, which he found to be covered with 

 Albatrosses sitting closely on their nests, and pecking at his legs 

 as he passed by, so that he had to force a passage through them 

 with his seal club. The islet received the appropriate name of 

 Albatross Island. The current, too, was hailed with delight, for 

 the flood came from the westward, indicating the existence of 

 the passage of which they were in search. Doubtless the early 

 sealers sometimes landed on the island, but the only visit of 

 which we could get any certain information was 25 years ago, 

 when some guano traders worked there for a time, but eventually 

 abandoned it when their boat was dashed on to rocks at the 

 landing-place, and they had to subsist on Albatrosses till rescued. 

 Our main object, then, in visiting the Group was to attempt a 

 landing on this island, and to procure the eggs and identify the 

 species of albatross. We were fortunate in securing the services 

 of Captain C. Mullins, who landed with the guano traders before 

 referred to, and embarked with him on the fore-and-aft schooner 

 Martha at daylight on Thursday, 15th November, bound for 

 Circular Head. After wearily waiting till about 3 p.m., we are 

 towed down to Williamstown to await a favourable breeze. 

 During the night we get under weigh, and at noon we anchor off 

 Queenscliff, the wind having gone round to the south. Our 

 patience is now sorely tried, for the wind freshens into a south- 

 west gale, and it is not till five days afterwards, on the morning 

 of Wednesday, the 21st, that, tired of waiting any longer, we go 

 out through the Heads, the wind having abated slightly. There 

 is still a heavy sea, however, which puts us somewhat hors de 

 combat, but we soon recover, and with more favourable winds 

 arrive at Stanley on Friday morning. 



During the voyage bird life was not entirely absent. Several 

 specimens of the White-faced Storm Petrel were seen, while the 

 beautiful little Dove-like Prion constantly followed in our wake. 

 An intelligent fisherman at Queenscliff informed us that both 

 these birds are breeding on Mud Island, in Port Phillip. Out- 

 side the Heads the Albatrosses began to appear. The Great 

 Wandering (Diamerfea exulans) was the first kind seen, then a 

 few representatives of the Sooty Albatross (D. fuliginosa) 



