178 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



29TH November. — Three members were out at daylight 

 shooting birds for specimens, returning at 6 with a few. After a 

 hasty — and our last — breakfast on the scrub-clad, rock-girt island 

 of Flinders, we broke up camp and got on board the Syren, also 

 for the last time, with all our luggage and treasures, shortly after 

 8 o'clock. As we entered the fairway we discerned the smoke of 

 the Alert, and boarded her about 11 a.m., Captain Mathieson 

 being punctual to the appointed time. We soon headed for 

 Melbourne, passing the Pyramid Rock about 3 p.m., and Curtis 

 Group about 6.30, taking photographs of each as we went along. 

 Little did we think that delightful evening, when taking the 

 picture of Curtis from her deck, that the Alert would so soon 

 founder and go down, not so far from the locality, leaving her 

 gallant officers and crew struggling with the waves for dear life, 

 and all save one finding a watery grave. 



30TH November found us through the Heads at 6.30 a.m., 

 having experienced a most delightful passage across the Straits. 

 During the run up the bay Richardson's Skua [Stercorarius 

 crepidattis) were flying in our wake. These birds were first noted 

 for Australia by Mr. A. J. Campbell, while returning from Tas- 

 mania, in 1883. Arriving at the wharf at 10 a.m. we were not 

 long in getting to our respective homes, thus ending the ex- 

 pedition to the Furneaux Group. 



We cannot claim very great scientific results for the trip, as, 

 owing to the absence of collectors of other branches of natural 

 history, the expedition was devoted principally to ornithology. 

 However, the details of the extraordinary nidification of the 

 Gannets, the additional notes of the nidification of the Mutton 

 Birds, together with information obtained of the scarce Cape 

 Barren Geese, should be sufficient to stamp it a success. We 

 greatly regret the absence of our co-workers in the Club, and did 

 our best to do some of their work, but with poor success, lacking, 

 of course, their experience ; and we are disappointed at having 

 been unable to do more land work, but the scrub was almost 

 impenetrable, and through stormy weather we had but eight or 

 ten clear days in which to do our work both on land and at sea. 



The thanks of the Club are due to Messrs. Huddart Parker 

 and Co. Limited for their kindly consideration in meeting us ^e 

 passage to and from the Group, and to the late Captain Mathieson 

 and his brave officers for their assistance during the time we were 

 on board the since ill-fated steamer. Also, we are indebted to 

 Captain Anderson (Chief Inspector of Fisheries) for his advice 

 and kindly interest ; also for the loan of a fishing net, which we 

 found exceedingly useful while on the islands; also, to the Lands 

 Department of Tasmania for useful maps and plans ; and to Mr. 

 H. Walpole, Yarraville, and Mr. R. Davies, Armadale, for the 

 use of tents. 



