THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



we had made on board. Certainly our luggage did look 

 suspicious, with imposing boxes containing potatoes, onions, 

 bread, personal effects, guns, cameras, tent, &c. 



According to arrangement, Captain Mullins soon appeared, 

 and we at once decided to start the following morning in his 22 

 feet centre-boarder The Fox. Captain Mullins fortunately left the 

 schooner Martha, in which Messrs. Ashworth and Le Souef 

 crossed the Strait last year, before she capsized in the Rip in 

 February last, and in which Captain Stuty and Frank, who 

 accompanied them, lost their lives. After placing our luggage on 

 the little craft we went for a long walk along the beach and 

 into the adjoining scrub, where we recognized the dulcet notes 

 of Selby's Thrush ; but we were too early for eggs. The 

 Tasmanian Flycatcher, Horseshoe Honeyeater, Long-tailed 

 Superb Warbler, Scrub Quail, &c, were also seen. The pretty 

 little Azolla was growing luxuriantly in the ponds which we 

 passed, and growing on the roadside was a perfect carpet 

 of white daisies. The scrub was inclined almost parallel to 

 the hillsides where exposed to the east wind, which must blow 

 very severely here at times. During our stay at Stanley we 

 resided at the Temperance Coffee Palace, a comfortable, homely, 

 but curiously planned house, whose architect must have taken his 

 design from Noah's Ark. 



Early morning on the 19th October found us quite refreshed 

 and ready to start, and soon the little Fox was merrily sailing 

 round " The Nut," from which a Black-cheeked Falcon swooped 

 down to show his anger at our intrusion. Passing two outlying 

 rocks with the euphonious names of Bull and Cow, and rounding 

 a dangerous sunken reef off the headland, we made for Robbins 

 Island, which was to be our first place of call. Our attention 

 was soon attracted to a large number of birds in the distance, 

 whose movements puzzled us for some time, but as we approached 

 we were soon enlightened, and were treated to a magnificent sight. 

 Heedless of our approach, several hundreds of Gannets were 

 working a shoal of fish. I have frequently watched these birds 

 diving for fish in our bay, but here I saw them in company for 

 the first time, and truly it was an exciting scene. A continuous 

 stream of birds were diving into the shoal, and as they rose flying 

 around in a circle, only to dive again until they were gorged, when 

 they would retire, but only to make room for others who were 

 continually arriving from the distance. There is doubtless a 

 method in this circular flight of theirs — very likely it tends to 

 keep the fish together. Nor did they leave off till we sailed right 

 through them, and then, I believe, it was the fish that made 

 away. Our artist took several snap-shots with a kodak, but I am 

 afraid they were not quick enough for satisfactory pictures. The 

 Gannets must consume an enormous quantity of fish during these 



