180 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



reared by the owners of the addled eggs. The birds possess a 

 voracious appetite, their chief food being herbage of various 

 kinds. They eat all day, and frequently by night, quickly 

 digesting their food. Sheep will not graze after them. This is 

 not so with the common domesticated goose. Cape Barren Geese 

 being destructive to grass, and likewise the garden plots of the 

 islanders, the people consequently, and somewhat selfishly, do not 

 favour or assist in the protection of these fine birds. As food 

 they are excellent, being tasty and gamey, judging by the two we 

 had roasted in camp. The only exception we took was the flesh 

 being a little dry, but probably this was our method of cooking. 

 The voice of the birds is curiously hoarse, and at intervals they 

 grunt like a pig, so much so that since I brought my pair home 

 I am informed the Inspector of Nuisances called, supposing I 

 kept pigs, contrary to the regulations. 



Australian Gannet (Sula serrator). — Mr. Gabriel has 

 already described to you the wonderful feathered congregation on 

 Cat Island. I propose merely to add a few details. The rookery 

 was about 150 yards in circumference, the nests being placed, 

 with some sort of regularity, in rows 30 inches apart, and in each 

 row the nests, from centre to centre, were divided by the same 

 distance. The nests are low, built of the surrounding soil and 

 dehris scraped up and well trodden, and slightly concave on the 

 top. The outside circumference is about 5 feet, the height being 

 4 or 5 inches, the concave top where the egg is deposited being 7 

 or 8 inches across by i^ inches deep. 



The young or newly hatched birds were naked or nearly so, 

 and of a leaden or dark slate colour. The older ones were 

 clothed in down of snowy whiteness, oddly contrasting with black 

 feet and bill. On approach the old birds simply give a goose-like 

 cackle, making a sound not inappropriately resembling the words 

 " Get away, get away ! " at the same time fencing you with their 

 wings and formidable nebs. Our visit was on the 20th and 21st 

 November, which appeared to be the middle of the laying season. 

 Probably October is the month they first commence to lay, as I 

 have previously received eggs taken from the same rookery during 

 that month. It would, however, be interesting to record when 

 the young are feathered and leave — possibly March or April, 

 when the Mutton Birds commence to move. 



Short -TAILED Petrel, or Mutton Bird {JVectris brevicaudus). 

 — From the islanders we learnt much, and some hitherto unre- 

 corded information. From about the 13th to the i6th September 

 the birds first arrive to clean out their burrows, and, it is presumed, 

 also to mate. Much house cleaning, expelling snakes, and marry- 

 ing and giving in marriage are carried on day and night till about 

 the first week in November, when all go to sea again for a trip. 

 The return of the birds, both male and female, commences 

 about the i8th November, and continues for about ten days, the 



