204 White, Expedition to Islands of Bass Strait. [ist^ April 



eggs or young unprotected for a minute the Gulls would snap 

 them up. Some exxellent pictures were taken of the young in 

 all stages, from fully-fledged birds to those just breaking 

 through the shell. The nests were composed of many-coloured 

 seaweeds fresh from the water, and placed on the gentle slope 

 of a bare granite rock, some hundreds forming the little colony. 

 The Pacific Gull was also found breeding on the island, as well 

 as Cape Barren Geese. The young of the latter were seen in 

 several stages. Just before embarking, breeding burrows of 

 the White-faced Storm -Petrel {Pelagodroma marina) were dis- 

 covered — lovely little birds that one sees thousands of miles 

 out at sea skimming gracefully over the surface of the ocean 

 like Swallows. During calms I have seen them sweeping over 

 the glassy surface of the sea with the ease of a butterfly. Again, 

 during storm, I have seen the little feathered waifs breasting 

 the crests of the mighty rollers one moment, and then descend- 

 ing into their deep troughs with the same easy flight. 



The last member of the party had hardly boarded the 

 steamer when the wind went round and came upon us with a 

 sudden burst. The water around, which was like glass during 

 part of the afternoon, was within an incredibly short time 

 lashed into foam, and began to tumble in great white masses 

 upon the treacherous rocks that surrounded us. There was 

 nothing for it but to up anchor and run for shelter without 

 delay. We lay the remainder of the night under the lee of 

 Babel Island, with the wind tearing down a saddle of the island 

 and through our rigging with an incessant wailing dirge. The 

 little steamer rolled much as she tugged at her anchor chains. 

 The following morning found us retracing our course to the 

 Sisters. Here we came to anchor and took on board Dr. 

 Howard's party, which had done good work during the short 

 time it had been on land. The Manazvatu now steamed along 

 the coast of flinders Island till Killiecrankie Bay was reached, 

 where we dropped anchor in a snug little corner. Lunch was 

 ordered to be packed, and it was not long before Dr. Lempriere's 

 oil-launch and the ship's boats were conveying the party ashore, 

 to scatter over the country, some to search the rocks and sandy 

 beach in quest of marine objects, others to penetrate the thick 

 scrubs and timber-clad ranges to study bird-life, &c. As even- 

 ing approached the party re-assembled upon the beach, and 

 just before going off to the steamer a fine haul of mullet was 

 made. The anglers of the party had excellent sport at many of 

 the anchorage places. At one place eight sharks were flapping 

 on the deck at the same time. Bird-life on P'linders Island 

 seemed fairly plentiful. At Killiecrankie my wife and self, as 

 was our custom, took a billy-can and some food and struck into 

 the scrub. We followed a salt arm or creek for some distance, 

 which merged into a freshwater stream, which during a normal 



