Vol. VIII. 

 1909 



] Campbell, Camp-Out on Phillip Island. 2O9 



some of the observers essay to sleep, but the continuous weird 

 midnight noise prevents them. Those who do snatch " forty 

 winks " are rudely disturbed by web-footed creatures awkwardly 

 waddling over the sleepers' prostrate forms. The beautiful 

 morning star heralds the dawn of day, when, in the crisp 

 morning air, swarms of dusky-coloured birds with mysterious 

 rat-like actions run over the ground, through the scrub, and toss 

 themselves over the cliffs, and in the obscure light disappear 

 seaward. When broad daylight arrives, 260 eggs are picked up, 

 mostly upon the ground, without the aid of crooks. A return is 

 made to headquarters camp, which is reached about half-past 8 

 o'clock, when a good breakfast rewards the hungry and tired 

 night-observers. 



Before returning to Melbourne, a visit was paid by the orni- 

 thologists to Mr. John Cleeland, an old colonist of sterling 

 repute, who owns the station Wollomai, which includes the 

 leasing of the Cape for grazing purposes. The visitors were 

 received right royally, and many early reminiscences were 

 exchanged, not forgetting the mention of the famous horse 

 Wollomai, which won for Mr. Cleeland the Melbourne Cup of 



1875. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



(i.) The total area of the Cape headland is about 400 acres, 

 clothed chiefly with tussock-grass, sword-grass, stunted "blue" 

 bush, horehound,* and pig-faced weed {Meseiiibryantheniuin). 

 But about a quarter of the area may be described as sand drift. 



(2.) From about 150 to 200 acres consist of Mutton-Bird 

 rookeries, the numerous rabbit-like burrows being chiefly on the 

 ocean frontage, but some of the rookeries extending inland. It 

 is difficult to estimate the total number of birds frequenting the 

 Cape for breeding purposes ; it is probably not less than one 

 million. 



(3.) Judging by observations made in former seasons, the 

 number of birds does not appear to be decreasing. But serious 

 encroachments are being made on the western rookeries (near 

 the neck of the Cape) by wind-blown sand-dunes. Some of the 

 rookeries have been already enveloped, and more are threatened 

 unless the authorities stay the sand movement by such means 

 as the planting of marram grass, &c. An urgent recomviendation 

 is made accordingly. Local observers say the sand is moving 

 very fast. 



(4.) From the evidence of old eggers, it would appear that the 

 Mutton-Birds arrive later to lay than they did in former years, 

 say 20 years ago. Hitherto the focus of arrivals occurred about 

 the 24th, 25th, and 26th November. Now it would appear to be 

 about the 28th, 29th, and 30th, when many eggs are gathered 



* Introduced plant. 



