THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 181 



was more at home. A pair of Sacred Kingfishers, Halcyon 

 sanctics, have recently appeared upon the island, and, I believe, 

 had a nest among the planks at the end of the (years ago) 

 deserted pier. It is the only spot on the islands that approaches 

 the style of position of the usual nesting-place. There are plenty 

 of lizards available, and if by force of circumstances they should 

 have to take to fishing their opportunities will be ample. 



Altogether I succeeded in finding upon the Houtman's 

 Abrolhos Islands many species not previously recorded, and 

 met with a rookery of the Caspian Tern, Hydroprogne caspia, 

 Pall., finding some 13 nests, mostly with two eggs in each. I 

 spent eight days cruising among the islands by means of special 

 facilities granted me by the lessees, Messrs. Broadhurst, M'Neil 

 and Co. 



Returning to Geraldton, I practically concluded the tour, and 

 returned in the s.s. Kalgoorlie with Mr. W. H. D. Le Souef, a 

 fellow-member of this Club, who had also been collecting in the 

 Occident. 



A VISIT TO THE FURNEAUX GROUP OF ISLANDS. 



{Read hefvre the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, lOth Feb., 1902.) 



By D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. 



During the latter end of November a party of four of us, con- 

 sisting of Dr. C. Ryan, Mr. R. B. Ritchie, Mr. C. F. Belcher, and 

 self, were enabled to visit the Furneaux Group of Islands, situated 

 in Bass Strait, off the N.E. corner of Tasmania. We left Laun- 

 ceston in the s.s. Star, and in her were enabled to visit many of 

 the various islands that are, as a rule, not often landed on. Our 

 time was limited, therefore we did not visit as many as we would 

 have wished, as some are a considerable distance apart, and also 

 our landing on them much depended on the weather. During 

 our trip we were for four days obliged to anchor under the lee of 

 Preservation Island, on account of boisterous weather, and a 

 westerly blow brings up a heavy sea on the side most of the 

 islands are. Therefore in these trips one cannot always carry 

 out their programme, as the weather has to be reckoned with, 

 especially in a small boat. 



This interesting group of islands, a map of which appeared in 

 the Victorian JVaticralist, vol. x. (1893-4), page 167, were first found 

 in 1773, and named after their discoverer, Capt. Furneaux. Many 

 of them are inhabited, the total number of the population being 

 about 400. Flinders Island is by far the largest of the group, 

 its west coast being mountainous, the highest point, Strzelecki 

 Peak, being 2,500 feet in height. The east side of the island is 

 low, flat, and sandy, and covered with short, thick scrub, 

 but there are several settlements where the soil is of a better 



