182 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



description. Barren Island is also of a fair size, and also has 

 granite ranges on it, the highest point being 2,300 feet, and 

 although most of the higher land is rocky and more or less 

 barren, yet many parts of the lower country are fertile, and 

 at the time of our visit the flowering shrubs were very beautiful. 

 Many of the smaller islands also have families living on them, 

 and very well and healthy they all look, and it speaks well 

 for the general health of the inhabitants when there is no 

 doctor nearer than Launceston, over 60 miles away by sea. The 

 inhabitants say that is why they are so well. Most of the smaller 

 islands have sheep on, and also a few cattle. They do not seem 

 to need much water. What they do get is generally brackish. 

 Sheep can often do without any, as the succulent herbage affords 

 sufficient moisture. The islands being so small, they always have 

 a sea breeze, and do not get the extreme dryness or heat they 

 would in the mainland. 



The great mainstay, however, of the islanders is the Mutton- 

 bird, or Short-tailed Petrel, Puffinus tenuiroslris. These interest- 

 ing birds nest on many of the smaller islands, such as Chappell 

 Island, Little Dog Island, Little Green Island, Great Dog Island, 

 Babel Island, and many others. The Tasmanian Government 

 have prohibited the taking of the eggs of the bird, but allow the 

 young birds to be taken for six weeks during the months of March 

 and April. These birds, .as is well known, come in from the sea 

 to lay about 25th November, and deposit their one white egg at 

 the bottom of a burrow about 4 feet in length, which is sometimes 

 straight, other times not. Both birds take turns in sitting on the 

 egg, the absent one being away at sea during the day feeding, 

 returning just after sunset to its patient companion in the burrow, 

 but occasionally both parent birds are found together in the 

 burrow during the day. One egg is laid, but it is probable that 

 if that is taken they lay another in the course of about ten days, 

 but this has not yet been finally proved. We were enabled to 

 visit a rookery just at dusk and to witness the wonderful incoming 

 of the birds — a never-ending source of interest and wonder. 

 How the birds as they fly swiftly in in the semi-darkness are able 

 to pick out their right burrow from so many thousands of other 

 burrows apparently almost identical is a matter of wonder, and so 

 far it has completely puzzled us. It is a fascinating sight seeing so 

 many thousands and thousands of birds whirling round and over 

 one, but mostly flying low ; and then as the new arrivals enter their 

 burrows they are welcomed by their mates with extraordinary 

 kinds of sounds, which, coming from the earth, seem to make 

 them all the more weird. The birds leave again at early dawn. 

 Apparently their object in coming in during dusk is to escape the 

 attacks of birds of prey, which during the day keep a fatherly eye 

 on any stray birds they may find on the land, especially the Ravens. 



