460 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



nia and the islands in Bass's Straits, to some of which, but 

 especially to Green Island, it resorts during the summer in 

 countless numbers for the purpose of breeding and rearing its 

 young. I visited this island in January 1839, when, al- 

 though the season was far advanced, both eggs and young 

 were still so numerous as to excite my astonishment. I had 

 previously heard much of this great nursery of Petrels, and 

 might have added much to the length of this paper by record- 

 ing my own observations ; but so much has been written by 

 others, that I prefer giving their statements, notwithstanding 

 a little repetition in the details comprised therein. Mr. Davies, 

 in the second volume of the * Tasmanian Journal,' states that 

 "About the commencement of September these birds con- 

 gregate in immense flocks, and shortly afterwards proceed at 

 sunset to the diflPerent isles upon which they have established 

 their rookeries. Here they remain during the night for the 

 space of about ten days, forming their burrows and preparing 

 for the ensuing laying-season. They then leave, and continue 

 at sea for about five weeks. 



" About the 20th of November at sunset a few come in to 

 lay, and gradually increase in numbers until the night of the 

 24th. Still there are comparatively few, and a person would 

 find some difficulty in collecting two dozen eggs on the morn- 

 ing of that day. 



" It is not in my power to describe the scene that presents 

 itself at Green Island on the night of the 24th of November. 

 A few minutes before sunset flocks are seen making for the 

 island from every quarter, and that with a rapidity hardly 

 conceivable ; when they congregate together, so dense is the 

 cloud, that night is ushered in full ten minutes before the 

 usual time. The birds continue flitting about the island for 

 nearly an hour and then settle upon it. The whole island is 

 burrowed ; and when I state that there are not sufficient bur- 

 rows for one-fourth of the birds to lay in, the scene of noise 

 and confusion that ensues may be imagined — I will not 



