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THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



reach of our hand-nets, and, on one 

 occasion, a fine large specimen was 

 secured and lifted inboard. When 

 placed on the deck it was practically 

 helpless, but uttered shrill cries of 

 protest and flapped its wings in im- 

 potent efforts to escape from its captors. 

 Though failing utterly to take wing 

 from the deck, it soon proved its ability 



can fly in the teeth of a gale, now 

 swooping into the dark troughs of the 

 sea, now skimming over the white 

 foaming crests. 



Another bird particularly noticeable 

 was the Giant Petrel {Macronectes 

 gigantea), which paid the ship intermit- 

 tent visits either singly or in pairs. 

 In contrast to the almost uniform 



No sooner did the winch sound its warning than they 

 gathered close alongside. 



[Photo.— H. 0. Fletcher. 



to rise from the surface waters of the 

 sea when ultimately released overboard. 

 Mollyhawks measure as much as six 

 feet from tip to tip of the wings, and 

 lift their heavy bodies into the air much 

 as an aeroplane " takes off " from the 

 ground, assisting their gradual ascent 

 by pushing backwards against the water 

 with their broad webbed feet. They 

 are very strong and graceful on the 

 wing, and, though they scarcely seem 

 to move their rounded pinions, they 



white of the Mollyhawk, from which 

 they always seem to hold aloof, the 

 colour of these birds was sooty-black, 

 and their heavy orange-yellow bills 

 seemed to be quite out of proportion to 

 their shapely heads. They were as for- 

 midable as they appeared, and contact 

 with them was always avoided by the 

 mollyhawks. At times I was amazed to 

 see a single Giant Petrel drive as many 

 as six or eight of its larger antagonists 

 away from a tasty morsel. 



