^J^'l White, An Ornitholos^ical Cruise. y 



1Q16 



blown away in jilaces, showing a thick travertine crust with very 

 dwarfed vegetation. We reached the highest point upon the 

 island, which is the edge of the cliffs on the south-easteni end, 

 where we looked upon the ocean, 700 feet below us, dashing into 

 foam upon the granite rock which forms the bed of the island. 

 About a quarter of a mile out was the strange sugarloaf " Haycock 

 Rock," in the form of a hay-stack. A little to the east is another, 

 but much more rounded off. The ocean swell was breaking with 

 great fury upon these rocks, leaving a circle of foam of great 

 width all round them. Upon the flatter rock of the two great 

 numbers of seals were seen. On this vantage point a self- 

 adjusting light is placed, which goes out with the daylight and 

 lights up again with the darkness. Upon our way up a Hawk 

 was secured, and proved to be leracidea berigora occidentalis. As 

 we returned along the north side of the island some Ground-Larks 

 or Pipits were flushed, and a small party of White-fronted Chats 

 ("Tintacs") and both the Spur-wing and Banded Plover were 

 seen. Some large bushes of Logania (L. crassifolia) were seen 

 near the beach. Going on board, our time was fully occupied 

 till bed-time preserving material collected during the day. 



Next morning I was up early and finished my bird-skinning. 

 Upon being told by one of the owners of the island that a brown 

 Owl, which did not call " Boobook," was often seen in the thick 

 scrub, I landed, and beat every piece of cover, but without 

 seeing any sign of the Owl. In some places there were 

 thickets of tea-tree {Melaleuca pauciflora) which would make 

 splendid cover for night birds. The new sub-species of Sericornis 

 was again seen and a Stubble-Quail was flushed. After some 

 photographs had been taken and we had said good-bye to the 

 Golley Brothers, the yacht was boarded. It stood across to the 

 mainland, with a very big swell running in from the south. We 

 made Pondalowie Bay that night, and anchored in calm water. 

 Next morning, the 8th January, we heaved anchor at 9 o'clock 

 and made a start for home. When we passed through Investigator 

 Strait a big ocean swell was sweeping in, and the wind freshened 

 from the west, with rain squalls. Later in the day we passed 

 the Adelaide Steamship Company's vessel, the s.s. Willyama, fast 

 upon a rock in Marion Bay. The rock pierced the hull at the 

 bottom, but the vessel looked as if it were quietly riding at anchor. 

 About 3 o'clock in the afternoon a Skua was sighted. Our friends 

 manoeuvred their yacht so that Mr. E. S. Rymill was able to 

 shoot the bird, and the vessel was put about to pick it up. It 

 proved to be one of the light forms. Very soon afterwards another 

 was seen ; this was a dark form, and it was added to the collection. 

 We were very fortunate in securing these birds, and they are the 

 first ever taken in South Australian waters. Mr. E. S. Rymill 

 shot both birds. 



At 6.30 p.m. we fetched up at Troubridge Light, and dropped 

 anchor in two fathoms over weed. Dr. Morgan, Mr. Acraman, 

 and the writer landed on the sandy island which has formed 



