212 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



birds might be underground. The curious fact was noted on the 

 25th September that up to' 9.30 p.m. hardly a Penguin had 

 uttered a sound, though present in vast hordes. 



*FAIRY PENGUIN 

 (Eudyptula undina, Gould). 



Some doubt exists as to whether this is a valid species or not. 

 The author of that part of the 26th volume of the British Museum 

 Catalogue dealing with the Penguins places E. undina as a 

 synomym of E. minor. 



Gould described the species from specimens procured off 

 the North Coast of Tasmania. Of it he says: "I invariably 

 found the young of that species (E. minor), while still partly 

 clothed in the downy dress of immaturity, to exceed considerably 

 in size all the examples of this species (E. undina), even when 

 adorned in the adult livery and possessing the hard bill of 

 maturity. There can be no question, therefore, of the two birds 

 being distinct." 



The rookery on Waterhouse Island from which he obtained 

 examples no longer exists, all the birds having been either killed 

 or driven off. 



The late Sir Walter Buller, who believed in the validity of 

 the species, stating it to be as plentiful if not more so than the 

 preceding species round the coasts of New Zealand, writes: 

 "Dr. Finsch refused to admit any specific distinction. Dr. 

 Coues, also, in writing of Gould's types in t*he Museum at Phila- 

 delphia, says: "These specimens are slightly smaller than 

 average minor, bluer than usual, but not bluer than No. 1338, for 

 example, and with rather weak bills. ... I cannot distin- 

 guish these specimens even as a variety." 



Judging from their writings, both Messrs. A. J. Campbell and 

 D. Le Souef consider the Fairy Penguin to be a good species. Per- 

 sonally, I am inclined to bracket E. minor and E . undina together. 



ORDER CHENOMORPH/E. 

 Sub-Order Anseres : Geese, &c. 

 FAMILY-ANATID/E (15 species). 



Sub- Family Cygn mae. 



BLACK SWAN 

 (Chenopsis atrata, Lath.) 



Male. Upper surface brownish-black, the feathers tipped 

 with greyish -brown; under surface a little paler; primaries and 

 secondaries pure white; "bill pinky-scarlet, crossed near the tip 



