186 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



Nest. — " Clumps of short grass and moss, trodden down, well 

 matted together, and scooped about with earth and feathers into a 

 conicai-shaped mound, with an egg-cavity at the top about the size 

 and depth of a soup plate " (A. J. Campbell). 



Eggs. — Clutch one; elongated oval in shape; texture coarse; 

 surface rough and without gloss ; colour dull white, with a few dull 

 purplish-brown markings on the apex. Dimensions in mm. : — ■ 

 125 X 75. 



Breeding Season. — December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Seas of Tasmania, Australia, New 

 Zealand, Southern Ocean, northwards to South Pacific and South 

 Atlantic Oceans. 



Observations. — Much has been written from time to time con- 

 cerning this great ocean wanderer, a giant among birds. Those 

 who have witnessed the majestic ease and grace with which it 

 wings its way over the waters or circles on outstretched pinions on 

 the look-out for tit-bits cannot but conclude that the Wandering 

 Albatross is the embodiment of grace when on the wing. 



Eound the southern coast of Tasmania this bird is a some- 

 what familiar object, wheeling over the blue water, its snowy 

 plumage glistening in the sunlight. 



" When on the wing the feet are held together the full length 

 under the tail, and, extending well beyond its longest feathers, 

 give the impression of a markedly wedge-shaped tail with a white 

 terminal border. This, of course, is not the case, for the tail is 

 bordered by black at the extremity and the appearance of white 

 beyond the black is due to the whitish feet " (B. A. Wilson). 



*BLACK-BROWED ALBATEOSS 

 (Diomedia melanophrys, Temm.) 



MaZe. ^General colour white; a slaty patch in front of and 

 behind the eyes; back and wings slaty-black; tail slate-grey; bill 

 dull ye,].low; legs and feet yellow. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 about 860; bill, 138; wing, 510; tail, 185; tarsus, 78. 



Female. — Similar to male. 



Young. — Differs from the adult in that the head is grey and 

 the bill dark blue. 



Nest. — Constructed of grass, moss, and earth into the shape 

 of a small inverted cone. Breeds in colonies. 



Eggs. — Clutch one; inclined to oval in shape; texture coarse; 

 surface without gloss; colour dull white, with a few distinct mark- 

 ings on the apex. Dimensions in mm. : — 101 x 67. 



Breeding Season. — November and December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Seas of Tasmania, Australia, New 

 Zealand, and the Southern Ocean in general. 



Observations. — Eound the coast of Tasmania this fine Albatross 



