344 



SUI.ID.F.. 



A^ 



rule the 



Loid Howe 



and September, iSf^j, remarl 



except that it sometimes places a few dry grass stalks or rushes under its e.-^gs. 

 e.--s are laid on the -ground, and are usually two in number. This is the only sea-bird breeding 

 oTthese islands that lays more than one egg. The C.annet commences laying certamly m the 

 earlier part of October, as I have seen a young bird upwards of a week old on the 27th of that 

 month. I have also obtained a fresh egg in the first week in January. The young Gannet is, 

 when fledged, much darker in colour on the wings and back than the parent. The old birds 

 are very tame, and have to be drawn off their eggs, but they peck sharply at intruders with 

 their formidable beaks." 



The accompanying ligure is reproduced from a photograph taken by Dr. \Y. MacgiUivray 

 on Raine Islet, on the 30th October, igii. 



Mr R. Ftheridge, Curator of the Australian Museum, writing of the General Zoology of 

 Island, during a six week's stay of a party from the Australian Museum in August 

 ^s;' '-"The bird inhabiting the Admiralty Islands is Sula cyaiwps, 



of which we olitained 

 a line series. On 

 approach ing from 

 seaward, the white 

 plumage of this bird 

 renders it a most con- 

 spicuous object, pre- 

 senting to the eye 

 large white dots, 

 scattered in all 

 conceivable positions, 

 over the side of the 

 hill. .S. iviinops is very 

 stupid, sluggish and 

 easily captured, for 

 when climbing the 

 steep sides of the islet 

 they may be literally 

 walked over before 



any attempt on their part is made to waddle off. The eggs are simply laid between tussocks of 

 grass. In Gould's figure of this species the legs and feet are represented as of a peculiar green, 

 and the iris yellow. livery example collected by us had those portions of the body black." 



From a very interesting account published in " The Ibis "t of the Bird life of Adele Island, 

 North-western Australia, by Mr. James Walker, R.N., of 1 1. M.S. " Penguin," and who is well 

 known to most Australian zoologists, I have extracted the following:—" About forty-five miles 

 due north of the entrance of King Sound, North-western Australia, is a little island surrounded 

 by extensive banks of sand and coral, which appears to have been first noticed during the voyage 

 of the French discovery ships 'Geographie' and ' Naturaliste,' in 1801, and named by Baudin 

 Adele Island. All that seems to be known about the island is that it is of very small extent 

 (about three miles long in a N.N.W. and S.S.F. direction, by about one mile broad), very low, 

 sandy and grassy, frequented by multitudes of sea-birds, and having a small patch of guano near 

 its south-eastern extremity. It being desirable to ascertain the position of this island with as 

 much accuracy as possible, H.IM. Surveying Ship ' Penguin,' on the morning of May 2nd, 1891, 

 anchored at about a quarter of a mile from the edge of the surrounding reef, and nearly two 

 miles from the inland itself, which at this distance' presented a very curious appearance, a long 

 ' Lord Howe Island, p i6 (iS8i|l | Ibis, iH,,2, p. 254. 



MASKED r.ANNET AND YOUNO. 



