10 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



water. Dreading the backwash of the cove where the dingey was 

 capsized last year, we scrambled on to the ledges of an outlying 

 rock, and, following a Penguin track, were soon through the caves. 

 In the gulch way we were surprised to see a Tasmanian Flycatcher 

 and a Bronze Cuckoo, with his resplendent green back. Climbing 

 over the hill, the Black-cheeked Falcons showed by their clatter 

 that they had eggs, and a large Wedge-tailed Eagle soared away 

 overhead. We were rejoiced to find the Albatross rookery in full 

 swing. It was the beau ideal of a photographic day, with little 

 wind and light fleecy clouds, and our artist lost no time in pro- 

 ceeding to work. As to myself, I was soon arguing the point 

 with the birds re possession of eggs, the powerful mandibles on 

 the one hand, and my foot and a bucket on the other being the 

 argumentative media. These beautiful birds sit gracefully on 

 their nests, but when disturbed they flounder about in quite a 

 ludicrous manner, strongly in contrast to their glorious appearance 

 at sea when they so majestically sweep through the air on ex- 

 panded pinions. After its egg was taken the silly bird could not 

 make out where it had got to, and would put its head into the 

 nest to look for it. I have little to add to the descriptive account 

 so ably given last year by Mr. H. P. C. Ashworth of the nidifica- 

 tion of these birds. The eggs taken by me, with three exceptions, 

 contained chicks in all stages of growth. From this I gather that 

 the laying season must commence late in September and early in 

 October, with an incubation of probably eight weeks. The Hon. 

 Walter Rothschild has lately reviewed the nomenclature of the 

 Albatrosses and has referred this bird to the genus Thalassogeron. 

 The bird breeding on the Snares in New Zealand differs from 

 Gould's type, T. cautas, and has been named T. Salvini, after 

 that eminent authority on oceanic birds. 



There can be no doubt of the identity of our species with 

 Gould's T. cautus, and Albatross Island is, therefore, the only 

 known breeding haunt. As Mr. Rothschild observed to Sir 

 Walter Buller, " Why, every group of islands seems to have its 

 own species of albatross." The flag was now flying as a signal 

 for us to leave, and so busy had our artist been that he forgot all 

 about looking for the treasure lost last year, and, indeed, did not 

 have time to look at the spot. We had had no food for ten 

 hours, and were surprised to find we had been six hours on the 

 island. On regaining the boat, a decisive " Give me a hand with 

 the chain " caused us to postpone the luxury of " tucker." Oh ! 

 that 25 fathoms of chain, wasn't it heavy ! As we got near the 

 West Hunter the wind died away, and we lost the tide, and drifted 

 slowly back. Just before dark we came across an Albatross, a 

 Mutton Bird, and a Cape Pigeon quarrelling over a Cuttle-fish. 

 As we approached the Cape Pigeon was left in possession. In 

 the moonlight we set the fire-pot going, and made coffee, waiting 

 for the turn of the tide. Music, also, helped to pass the time, 



