THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 9 



influence, for from several correspondents I hear that this 

 season thousands upon thousands of these useful birds have been 

 found dead upon our shores, from Phillip Island to nearly as high 

 as Sydney Heads. Can any of our members suggest an apparent 

 cause for this destruction ? The harvest of eggs this season at 

 Phillip Island has been a complete failure. Some have suggested 

 the heavy gales prevailing early in the season ; but these birds are 

 in their element in the roughest of weather, and I can hardly 

 accept this as a reason. We have always been told that the birds, 

 after cleaning out their holes in September, are not seen again till 

 November, when they come to lay; but to our surprise they came 

 in at dusk as usual. We had beached the boat on the sand for 

 comfort's sake, and as it was now raining heavily we slept on 

 board. Early in the morning the tide came in, and we had to 

 turn out into the cold sea and get her afloat. After breakfast we 

 left for Penguin Island, where, with a little difficulty, we landed. 

 Scrambling through the saltbush and tumbling through Mutton 

 Bird holes, we made our way to the Pelican rookery, noting on 

 the way the Little Grass Bird (Sphenosacus gramineus). The 

 Pelicans made out to sea as we approached, so we contented 

 ourselves with taking photographs of the rookery. The eggs 

 proved to be fresh — indeed, several clutches were not completed. 

 Returning to the boat, we hastened on board, as the wind was 

 fast rising, and, hoisting sail, we headed for Chimney Corner again. 

 On the way up we had another unpleasant baling experience, 

 necessitating the beaching of The Fox for examination. We 

 found that the plaster which had been put on was a " porous 

 plaster," and there was nothing for it the next day but a renewal 

 of repairs. At night we had a haul of about ten dozen fine garfish. 

 This proved an acceptable change from Mutton Bird, which, how- 

 ever, we had got to relish at our meals. 



Early in the morning of the 29th October we started for 

 Albatross Island, and after crossing the " pot-boil " north of the 

 West Hunter, we were not long in approaching this lonely rock. 

 Bold and rugged it is indeed, and doubly so to-day, for the wind 

 had changed round to the north and rolled a nasty sea into the 

 landing-place. We could see the Albatrosses sitting on their 

 nests upon the shelving rocks, but after standing off and on for 

 some time in the hope of a change, we had to swallow our dis- 

 appointment and return. The following day an easterly gale 

 raged all day, raising such a heavy swell that it was with little 

 hope of success that we started again at dawn on 31st October. 

 The " pot-boil " was very lively, and tossed our little boat about 

 like a cockle shell. After a couple of miles of this we despaired of 

 getting on the rock, but as we had the day before us we held on, 

 and when within a few miles of the island our skipper declared 

 we would get on after all we cheered up considerably. Shortly 

 after we were anchored amongst the kelp in comparatively smooth 



