THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



251 



flexible cane is passed beneath a dried 

 stick held under the feet, the cane being 

 see-sawed up and down by each hand 

 alternately. Sand is sometimes added 

 to increase the friction. 



The Tierra del Fuegians obtain sparks 

 by striking together pieces of iron 

 pyrites, while in the northern regions 

 of America, pyrites and flint are used 

 in conjunction. 



This brings us to the practically 

 modern method of flint and steel, still 

 practised by some of the " old hands " 

 in the bush. Perhaps the most re- 

 markable of all fire -producing imple- 

 ments is the fire piston of the East 

 Indies. It consists simply of two parts, 

 a cylinder of brass closed at one end. 



and a neatly fitting plunger of the same 

 metal. Some tinder is placed in the 

 bottom of the tube and a smart hand 

 blow, combined with pressure, pro- 

 duces fire by the compression of the 

 imprisoned air. 



In concluding this short description 

 of fire-production it may be added 

 that fire is ever associated with do- 

 mestic felicity. The sentiments con- 

 nected with our hearths and homes and 

 the inglenook are universal, and civilised 

 races have no monopoly of these 

 feelings ; even our aborigines recognised 

 that the marriage was ratified when, 

 according to custom, the dusky bride 

 had built a shelter and kindled a fire 

 for her husband. 



Life and Strife Among the Sea Birds. 



By Arthur A. Living.stone. 



WHILST accompanying one of the 

 State trawlers on several cruises 

 off the coast of New South Wales, 

 I have had excellent opportunities of 

 observing the habits of some of the 

 larger species of our sea birds. During 

 the whole period of the cruises they were 

 in constant attendance on the ship. 

 The Black Eye- browed Albatross 

 (Diomedia melanophrys) was in great 

 abundance, and ]iroved itself to be quite 

 as active at night as in the daylight. 

 This bird, known to the trawler's crew 

 as the Mollyhawk, levied its tax on 

 every haul. No sooner did the winch 

 sound its warning than they gathered 

 together close alongside, waiting to 

 snatch up any fish that might become 

 disengaged from the net. Of a natur- 

 ally disagreeable temperament, they 

 ever failed to evince an amiable disposi- 

 tion towards each other, and fought 

 and squabbled over the fish they 

 captured. On one occasion an unfor- 

 tunate accident precipitated half of the 

 trawler's catch over the side, providing 

 food in plenty for the ever hungry 

 birds. This untoward happening 



attracted a greater number of molly- 

 hawks than usual, and they were to be 

 seen sitting on the water, tearing at, 



and swallowing the floating fishes. 

 When one fish seemed more tempting 

 than another, they drove their weaker 

 brethren away, and fought over it as if 

 the sea was not covered with others 

 equally good. All the time the noise 

 they made, " poultering " down in the 

 water, and squawking or quacking — I 

 do not know which to call it^ — was deaf- 

 ening. No bird could really claim a 

 fish as its own until it was safely 

 within its stomach, which seemed to 

 ])rovide ample space for a prodigious 

 feed of this kind. On one occasion I 

 observed a bird greedily attempting to 

 swallow a flathead which was much too 

 large for its throat to accommodate. 

 Ejection of the fish was prevented by 

 the large backwardly directed spines 

 on its head, and, after a fruitless 

 struggle, the bird lay outstretched and 

 exhausted on the water. Had it not 

 been for the timely help afforded by its 

 comrades, this bird must have choked ; 

 but, prompted by greed rather than 

 compassion, the rest of the flock 

 pounced on the invalid, and tore the 

 fish bit by bit from its mouth. 



In their eagerness to obtain fish, 

 these birds often approached within 



