i'llALACKOCOKAX. 



329 



our leader taking a long tramp round the island, when he returned lie found the artists had 

 finished photographing and recording observations of the rookery. The birds in this instance 

 did not allow us to drive them off the nests, but went without asking. We did not linger here, 

 as the noise of the young ones was unpleasant, while the pungent, ammoniacal aroma of the 

 live guano was still more unpleasant. The nests were built of herbage and seaweed, and in 

 some instances were skilfully placed on shelving rocks. The full clutch of eggs numbers three. 

 ( )n our leaving tlie look'ery the old birds soon rejoined their young." 







N'ESTINc; COLONY UF WlIITK-mtKASTKI) rOliMOKANTS. 



Mr. G. Savidge wrote me as follows from Copmanhurst, Upper Clarence River, New South 

 W ales :— " The White-breasted Cormorant ( I'halacrocorax goii/di) is a scarce bird in the Clarence 

 River District. I know very little about it." 



From Victoria Mr. G. A. Keartland wrote me : -The White-breasted Cormorant (Plui/aav- 

 conix gotildi) is more numerous on the southern coast and the islands of Bass Straits than in the 

 north. These birds seem to be more partial to salt water than fresh. They breed in colonies on 

 .several islands in the Straits and around Tasmania. I received a number of sets of their eo-^s 

 taken on Maatsuyker Island, lymg off the south coast of Tasmania." 



Afr. Joseph Gabriel wrote me from .Abbotsford, \'icturia :- •■ I found the White-breasted 

 Cormorant (^PZ/i;/,;, ;■(',(';•<! V c""/"'/) breeding on Storehouse Island, I'lirneaux tlroup, in ,L;ieat 

 numbers. Unlike the Gannets on Cat Island (who remained (jn their nests) they flew off as we 

 approached them. We found eggs in all stages of incubation, also young of all ages. We did not 

 linger after taking photographs, cSic, leaving the young to cuddle together for warmth. I have 

 often wondered whether the old birds succeeded in sortintj them out again properly. The full 

 clutch of eggs was three. Nests were built on shelving rocks, of herbage and seaweed ; in many 

 instances they were works of art. I also found a rookery of the.se birds on the Hunter Group, 

 in October, 1.SQ5, Init the birds were only just starting to build, and had not laid any eggs." 



83 



