BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 169 



shilling in the beginning of the season, then falling to twelve for 

 the same money. Of course, on the West Coast, and other far- 

 away places the prices are much higher. The wholesale price has 

 been down as low as 6s. per 100, but, as a large importer remarked 

 to me, there is nothing in them at that price. Mutton-Birds cap- 

 tured last season represented 3,885 no inconsiderable amount. 

 The fat and oil are worth about a shilling a gallon, and are used 

 for many purposes. Saddlers utilize good quantities. Up to the 

 last few years the feathers w^ere a wasted asset, on account of their 

 very strong odour. I am informed that a German on one of the 

 islands now collects them and sends them to Germany, where the 

 odour is extracted, and they are used for many purposes." 



Further details concerning this very interesting species may 

 be found in A. J. Campbell's "Nests and Eggs," The Emu, 

 P.R.S. of Tasmania, and in my series of articles in The Weekly 

 Courier of 1905. 



FORSTER PETREL 

 (Puffinus gavia, Forster). 



Male. Upper surface, including head, sooty-black; tail and 

 quills black; cheeks, sides of throat, and sides of neck dull ashy, 

 mottled with white ; throat and under surface pure white ; a patch 

 of sooty-black in the region of the thighs; " bill dark grey, lighter 

 and more yellowish-grey on the under mandibles; tarsi and toes 

 pinkish flesh colour, stained with blackish-brown along the front 

 of the tarsus and on the outer edge of the toes; the webs darker; 

 iris brownish-black " (W. Buller). Dimensions in mm. : Length, 

 about 345 ; bill, 34 ; wing, 215 ; tail, 62 ; tarsus, 45. 



Female. Upper surface similar to male, but the ashy-brown 

 on the sides of the neck extends down the sides of the breast ; centre 

 of the throat mottled with ashy-brown; sides of the body smoky- 

 brown. 



Nestling. Covered with thick down, slate coloured on the 

 upper and white .on the under surface. 



Nest. A burrow some 3 feet long, with a fairly large nest- 

 ing cavity at the end. Breeds in colonies or rookeries. 



Eggs. "Clutch one; oval in shape, or more pointed at one 

 end ; texture of shell comparatively fine ; surface slightly glossy ; 

 colour pure white. Dimensions in inches: 2.2 x 1.55" (A. J. 

 Campbell). 



Breeding Season. October chiefly^ 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of Tasmania (doubtful), New 

 South Wales, South Australia, and probably other parts of Aus- 

 tralia ; also New Zealand. 



Observations. Some doubt exists as to whether this species 

 should really be included among the sea-birds frequenting our 

 waters, but as it is found off the coast of South Australia and New 



