172 THE VICTORIAN NATUEALIST. 



rookery, and coming and going from seaward, were the mates of 



the sitting birds. It was the prettiest of sights to see these birds 



alight alongside their mates, kissing and caressing them in a 



most loving and affectionate way. Occasionally one of the new 



comers would eject from its throat a fish which it had brought in 



from the sea. It is really wonderful, the size of fish they carry — 



15 inches was the measurement of a pike which we found lying 



near one of the nests, and we saw the remains of others which 



must have measured still more. Frequently we would see a 



handsome Gannet rise on its feet off its egg and flap its wings to 



stretch its feathered limbs ; should the bird be so unfortunate as 



to lose its balance it soon regained its position, hastened however 



by its neighbours, who viciously pecked at it, as much as to say 



" Keep your own ground." The nests, as far as the inequality of 



the ground would allow, were arranged in symmetrical rows, and 



were about 30 inches apart. The diameter of the rookery was 



about 50 yards, and it was circular in shape. The birds had been 



at work for some time, as we found several stages of growth of 



young, from the half-grown gosling down to that just hatched ; 



but the greater number of nests were occupied by eggs, many 



quite fresh. The young, when covered with down, look very 



handsome. The old birds seemed to defend the eggs more 



fiercely than they did the young, and I had to approach them 



with considerable respect, requiring the aid of a bucket and 



fishing basket for them to peck at while securing their eggs. 



Promenading around the rookery and sometimes through the 



rows were to be seen those impudent scavengers, the Silver and 



Pacific Gulls, waiting their chance (a very poor one) of taking 



the eggs and pieces of fish lying about. It seems almost 



ludicrous that this should occur, the Gannet lying so close on its 



egg, and being so large a bird, one blow from its powerful beak 



would kill so small a bird as the Silver Gull. After our artists 



had taken photographs from different points of view, we very 



reluctantly retired from this wonderful rookery. We were soon 



joined by our sportsman in triumph, for he had bagged a couple 



of Cape Barren Geese, but was very much chagrined when we 



told him they were protected birds. However, a brace out of a 



flock of thirty could not be missed. As the wind was still rising 



we hurried on board, and soon left the dangerous anchorage, 



very nearly getting on to the rocks in making our first tack, just 



being saved by the excellent seamanship of our skipper. After 



beating about in a nasty, choppy sea for three or four hours, we 



succeeded in getting shelter in a snug little cove under Babel 



island. Babel Island proper is about two miles long, and is 



situated about the same distance from Flinders Island, on the 



exposed east coast. Babel consists of five peaks, the highest 



being 650 feet. The tower-like appearance of the centre one no 



