34 Excursion to Phillip Island. [y^ 



ict. Nat. 

 Vol. XXX. 



thinned out. It will be a surprise to many members of the Club 

 to learn that the penguin is not upon the list of birds protected 

 for some portion of the year. As Philhp Island is practically 

 the last stronghold near the mainland of the Mutton-bird and 

 the penguin, it is time they were afforded full protection in 

 this locality. During the excursion some interesting observa- 

 tions were recorded regarding the penguins. The accom- 

 panying plate shows the nest of a pair of these birds, containing 

 a young bird. The nest was some 500 yards inland from the 

 sea, and placed high upon the cliff, amongst the tussocks. 

 There were two openings to the burrow, which is unusual. In 

 the foreground of the picture will be seen numbers of feathers 

 scattered in front of the young bird. These are the shed 

 feathers of the second down stage. During recent years it has 

 been found that many birds, especially penguins and petrels, 

 shed two stages of down prior to acquiring the adult plumage. 

 In the penguin the first down is of a fine, silky, hair-like 

 structure. The young bird in the photograph had donned the 

 adult plumage, which is attained prior to its leaving the nest 

 and entering the sea." 



Several Club excursions have now been made to Phillip 

 Island or its vicinity, but its treasures for the naturalist are by 

 no means exhausted. Reference may be made by those 

 interested to the reports of these excursions, which contain 

 records and lists of species in various departments of natural 

 history : — Shoreham, Easter, 1902, Vict. Nat., May, 1902 (xix., 

 p. 7) ; Shoreham, November, 1902, Vict. Nat., December, 

 1902 (xix., p. 107) ; Stony Point, Easter, 1908, Vict. Nat., July, 

 1908 (xxv., p. 52) ; and Stony Point, Easter, 1909, Vict. Nat., 

 June, 1909 (xxvi., p. 17). 



Most of the localities referred to in these reports will be found 

 marked on the map which will accompany this report, and 

 should enable the details of the outing to be easily followed. — 

 Joseph Gabriel. 



The Late Mr. C. Stout. — Members will learn with deep 

 regret of the death, at Mildura, on the i8th May, of Mr. Charles 

 Stout. Mr. Stout joined the Club as an associate member in 

 May, 1909, and evinced a keen interest in natural history. 

 Taking up teaching as a profession, he qualified as teacher of 

 Sloyd work under the Education Department, and was recently 

 appointed to Mildura. During the latter part of his member- 

 ship of the Club he acted as secretary to the juniors, and by his 

 quiet, unassuming manner made many friends. At the April 

 meeting of the Club a resolution was unanimously ])assed, con- 

 veying to him the thanks of the members for the work he had 

 done. His death at the early age of 22 removes a promising 

 teacher from the ranks of the Department. 



