Vol. XVII. 

 1918 



j NiCHOLLS, Study of Penguins on The Nobbies, Vic. 131 



Penguins— a steep tourist track on the soutli-east corner of the 

 island, nearest the reader when looking at photograph No. i. 

 The sides are precipitous, and in places overhung, but, as we did 

 not circumnavigate the island, a closer inspection is necessary. 



Twenty years ago the track up the cliff was on the opposite 

 side to the present one, but we did not see it. However, the 

 Penguins were there before the tourist. The top of the island 

 is a rabbit warren of burrows, and, at the time of our visit, was 

 covered with stalks of dry thistles and grass. The sides sloping 

 down from the crown are covered with mesembryanthemum, 

 which hides the nesting burrows. We found Penguins and 

 rabbits and a Mutton-Bird or two in this rookery. 



On the Little Nobby rookeiy (photograph No. i) we spent most 

 of our time. It was the nearest to the camp, and, although 

 inaccessible at high tide, was best suited for our observations. 

 Twice we waited half the night to see the birds come up from 

 the sea. There is only the one landing-place. This is a natural 

 cleft in a small bay on the north side of the Lesser Nobby, marked 

 by a cross within a circle in photograph No. i. The entrance is 

 studded with clumps of rock, round' which the waves swirl and 

 race in a lather of white foam. 



The first you see of the incoming bird is its small, dark head 

 just above the surface of the water, a few yards beyond the 

 breaking foam. By this time it is nearly dark, and on the moving 

 surface, amidst the black points of rock, it is difficult to pick out 

 your bird. An occasional " bark " tells of their coming, and 

 from the point of observation on the rocky ledge a few feet above 

 the water one can distinguish little dark forms avoiding the rocks 

 at the entrance by swimming and paddling around them to an 

 easier approach in the clear water (photograph No. 2). If in 

 danger they submerge, even if the water is only a foot deep. The 

 birds dislike the onward rushing foam of shallow, breaking water, 

 and will get beneath the surface if possible. 



As they come ashore the birds wait about the water's edge 

 to dry off, as was observed by Le Souef on i\lbatross Island. 

 Several times we surprised little parties of them sheltering in a 

 sort of small cave running up under a shelf of rock at the landing- 

 place. 



From the water's edge a narrow lane about 20 feet wide and 

 I J chains in length, composed of small boulders and pebbles, 

 leads right up to the front of the rookery (photograph No. 2). 



The first night we saw few birds ; they saw us first, and waited 

 " outside " till darkness allowed of a safe approach. By this 

 time we had taken up a new position at the end of the lane, right 

 at the foot of the rookery (photograph No. 3). We waited half 

 an hour in the darkness before a slight rattling of the pebbles 

 showed us two birds, very quiet and shy, and within six feet, as 

 the light of a dark lantern was turned suddenly on to 

 them. 



At night all the birds, young and old, came out of the burrows, 



