340 SUI,1D,E. 



Watson Bay, and across the narrow peninsula on the ocean side, on Bondi Beach. On 

 several occasions I have seen it venture much hij^fher up the harbour, and once saw one at the 

 entrance to Lane Cove River. L)r. Chishohn Ross also presented a specimen obtained at 

 Newcastle, and Mr. J. Cantle an immature male h-om Port Hacking. \'ery often when fishing 

 it flies at some distance from the beach, and follows the outline of the coast. Suddenly it plunges 

 headlong, and drops like a stone into the sea, the spray rising up all round it, secures a fish, 

 which it immediately swallows, and tlien c jntmues its journey, rarely altering its course. 



Much has been written about the natural stupidity of tliese birds, even when not engaged in 

 family cares, in allowing an intruder to approach and k-nocL- them down with a stick, or e\en 

 capture them by hand, (lould gives an instance in his work on the " liirds of .\ustralia." 

 However simple and confiding these birds may be on land, where they are seldom interfered 

 with, while on the wing I can vouch they almost invariably keep at a safe distance. The late 

 Mr. H. Newcombe obtained an immature male at Kurnell, Botany Bay, on the ist June. 1902, 

 and an adult male procured at I^ose ISay, Sydney Harbour, on the 23rd November, igoq, had a 

 number of bush ticks on the webs of the toes, these insects abounda:g on the Lantana bushes. 

 Mr. Joseph Gabriel with the late Mr. H. P. C. Ashworth, who were members of a small party 

 of the Field Naturalist's Club of \'ictoria, who visited the Furneaux Group, at the eastern 

 entrance of Bass Strait, in November, 1S93, has kindly sent me the following notes illustrative 

 of Mr. H. P. C. Ashworth's photograph of a nesting colony of Siihi scii-ator, which is 

 reproduced on Plate A. 16: — "To the east of Flinders Island, the principal island of the 

 Furneaux Group, lies Babel, Cat and Storehouse Islands, and Cat Island contains a splendid 

 rookery of Sula sm'cjtvi-. At the time of our visit this rookery contained about two thousand five 

 hundred birds sitting on their nests, a fine sight to us naturalists. We measured the ground by 

 stepping round, leaving a safe latitude between birds' beaks and legs, the distance being one 

 hundred and fifty two yards, thus giving a diameter of about forty nine yards. The birds in 

 places were in symmetrical rows and about thirty inches apart, with occasional breaks. Of 

 course the above estimated number only represented one half of the birds, as their mates were 

 out after food. It was a pretty sight to see the mates returning from sea, and after an afTectionate 

 greeting of kissing and caressing they would eject from their throats the fish for those sitting, 

 some of which measured over a foot in length. The nests were built on slightly raised mounds 

 of clay and guano, and were composed of twigs, alga- and polyzoa ; each nest contained one egg. 

 We found the birds had been at work for some time, there being several stages of growth of 

 young. When covered with down the birds look very handsome. In taking a few eggs we 

 chose the cleanest looking, and found them, with few exceptions, fresh. The birds fiercely 

 defended the eggs, more so than the young, and I had to shield my legs witli a bucket and fish 

 basket. Promenading round the rookery, and sometimes through the rows, were to be seen 

 those impudent scavengers the Silver and Pacific Gulls, picking up the stray pieces of fish left 

 by the Gannets. We found a large heap of guano lying near the shore, gathered ready to ship 

 away ; there was a cart track to the rookery, also a few planks among the birds, so they must 

 have to rebuild their nests if this guano is taken away. The heap which we saw had been lying 

 there for some years so the boatman told us. This rookery is likely to be here for some time, 

 few people visiting the locality, as the coast is so dangerous. There is another and much larger 

 rookery on Pyramid Rock, outlying Albatross Rock about fifteen miles, but no naturalist has 

 visited this yet." 



While resident at Hamilton, in the Western District of Victoria, Dr. \V. Macgillivray kindly 

 sent me the following notes : — " On the 12th November, iqoo, I went to Portland purposely to 

 investigate the bird life on the Lawrence Rocks; these are two in number, about a mile east 

 from Cape Sir W. Grant, between which and the nearest rock are several reefs. By boat from 

 Portland, the only practicable route, the distance is about fi\e miles: landing is only possible 



