2 2 Stray Feathers. \ 



Emu 

 St July 



8th November. — Whilst examining one of the small ponds 

 on Reservation Island, I came across a pair of Mountain-Ducks 

 with five fledglings. This is the first time for years they have 

 bred here. They were about a week old, black and white in 

 colour. The instinct of self-preservation was strong in them, 

 for upon observing me they instantly hid amongst the rushes 

 which bordered their home. Found also some young teal on the 

 same island, but was unable to locate any nest. It is very diffi- 

 cult in any case, as Teal, &c., often lay half a mile from water. 

 The Brown Quail (Synoecus australis) is now laying, but not 

 to such an extent as toward the end of the month. On Cape 

 Barren Island the Quail is very scarce, and one can go a day's 

 journey without encountering one bird, except close to the coast, 

 where they are a little more numerous. 



14th November. — Wood-Swallows are still here in small flocks, 

 but are not laying. The Black and the Pied Oyster-catchers are 

 nesting in great numbers along the coast. One will often find 

 the nest of the Black Oyster-catcher close to that of the Pacific 

 Gull, with whom he always seems to be on good terms. Perhaps 

 it is for mutual support against intruders. The Gull is most 

 interesting when he has any hard article of food to deal with. 

 One will see him emerge from some cleft with a large whelk in 

 his bill. The cunning fellow will select a flat rock, rise above 

 it to the height of about 40 feet, and then drop his booty. The 

 shock will generally break the shell, but if not, he will fly up 

 again and again, until his efforts are crowned with success. 

 One will see conspicuous flat rocks along the coast littered with 

 the evidences of the bird's pertinacity. The Mutton-Birds are 

 said to be very scarce this year, which shows that they must 

 be steadily getting worked out. I think that the remarkably 

 wet season we are having has drowned thousands of the young- 

 birds. This has been the wettest summer down here on record. 

 — J. D. MacLaine. 4/2/04. 



Forgotten Feathers. 



Allusions to Australian Avifauna in the Journal of a 

 Voyage of the " Nijptang." — In an early part of The Emu it 

 was suggested that the journals of explorers might be consulted 

 for allusions to Australian birds. The voyage of the squadron 

 under the command of Willem de Vlaming at the end of the 

 17th century contains some interesting items, which I give, 

 as translated from an anonymous volume published in Amster- 

 dam in 1 701 (^' Journaal Wegens ecu Voyagic na het onbckcnde 

 Zuid-land en wyders na Batavia") The journal records the 

 course taken by the hooker Nijptang, of which vessel Gerrit 

 CoUart was captain, Theodoris Heermans " adsistant," and 

 Gerrit Gerritszoon first mate. 31° 43' S. is the latitude recorded 

 on the 13th of January, 1697, at which date the vessels were 



