my Crane lay stiff and stark in violent convulsions. I carried

him in my arms to a sheltered spot, for he could not stand, and

although I saw plainly from the first I could do nothing to save

him, I tried all possible means. To the very last he gave a little

“ purr ” each time I stroked his head or neck—then all was still

and his sufferings were at an end !


“ Arsenical poisoning” was the verdict! He had pecked

at some wire netting, newly painted with green paint, which had

been put up to keep dogs from entering the garden, and which

Carlos resented, as it prevented him from walking up to the

front door to wait for me—his daily habit. Thus through his

devotion he died.



THE MUTTON-BIRD OF AUSTRALASIA.



Avery interesting paper entitled ‘ A visit to the Furneaux

Group of Islands,’ was read before the Field Naturalists’ Club of

Victoria, by Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., on Feb. ioth last, and

was published in the Victorian Naturalist, (Vol. XVIII. No. 12).

These Islands are situated in Bass Strait, off the North-Fast

corner of Tasmania, and appear to be seldom visited from the

mainland, although some of them are inhabited. Sheep and

cattle are kept by the inhabitants, whose chief industry, however,

lies in the taking, and preserving as an article of food, of the

young of the Short-tailed Petrel f Puffinus tenuirostrisJ commonly

known as the “ Mutton-bird.” The following account is ex¬

tracted from Mr. Le Souef’s paper.— Ed.


“ These interesting 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 the 25th November,

and deposit their one white egg at the bottom of a burrow about

four 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



