210 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



sock-grass or on the side of a gentle slope, a slight hollow either 

 between or under rocks is formed, and a small quantity of dry 

 grass and weeds placed therein. Very large rookeries are to be 

 found on several small islands in Bass Strait. 



Eggs. — Clutch two; vary from pyriform to roundish in shape; 

 texture of shell coarse ; surface slightly glossy ; colour white, 

 slightly tinged with green. The eggs soon become nest-stained. 

 Dimensions in mm. of two clutches : — A — (1) 58 x 40, (2) 59 x 41 ; 

 B— (1) 54 X 47, (2) 55 x 45. 



Breeding Season. — September to January. 



Geographical Distribution. — Off the coasts of Tasmania, New 

 South Wales, Victoria, South and Western Australia, and New 

 Zealand. 



Observations. — The birds from which the above measurements 

 were taken were secured from the same burrow, and had paired 

 up. When two Little Penguins are in a burrow, it is always a 

 matter of ease to separate the sexes, the male being much stouter 

 in build. When the pair are teased, the female remains silent at 

 the extreme back of the burrow, while the male boldly attacks 

 the stick or whatever is thrust in, hissing loudly the while. An- 

 other point of difference exists in the bills. That of the male is a 

 stout, formidable weapon, while that of the female is much 

 slimmer and weaker in appearance. I have found the above 

 differences constant in the great hordes of Penguins that were 

 under continuous observation for just short of a fortnight on 

 Ninth Island, oS the Tasmanian coast, during the latter part of 

 September and the beginning of October, 1909. A. distinct varia- 

 tion in colouration is discernible among the members of any flock 

 examined, but this variation cannot be taken as being in the 

 slightest manner specific. On arriving on Ninth Island on the 

 22nd September, 1909, I found but few burrows ocupied either by 

 a single bird or by a pair. During my stay the birds increased 

 until there must have been a few thousand on the island every 

 night and a couple of hundred during the day. A pair that had 

 taken up their abode among fhe stones of the foundation of the 

 hut, and were kept under the closest observation, never left their 

 retreat for sixty hours. During the day they remained silent, but 

 towards evening the male would commence to croon, and later on 

 both birds joined in the general discord reigning over the island. 



It was found that the first bird came up from the sea at 6.30 

 p.m., the party at each landing-place first consisting of about a 

 dozen birds. These would sit on the rocks preening their feathers. 

 At 6.35 the first real contingent would arrive, at 6.40 the second, 

 and at 6.45 the third and last. When all the birds had landed 

 and more or less preened themselves, a commencement would be 

 made over the rocks to the rookeries on the top or sides of the 

 island. On no occasion were any birds seen to move inland until 

 the last bird of the last batch was up on the rocks. Also night 



