THE WOMBAT. 33 



camp on, not having permanent fresh water ; they are Curtis 

 Group, Devils Tower, Judgment Rocks, Rodondo Island 

 .and others. 



King Island is a large island, south from Cape Otway. 

 It was well explored by some members of the Field Naturalists' 

 Club some years ago. It is an interesting- place and abound- 

 ing with Bennet's Wallaby and Red-bellied Wallaby, and the 

 sale of the skins of these animals forms a source of income to 

 the hunters that live on the island. There are also two 

 light-houses — one at Cape Wickham and the other at Currie 

 Harbour, and judging by the number of old wrecks round the 

 coast, the need of them is apparent. On the New Year 

 Island, off the north side, is a Mutton bird rookery, and on the 

 sea-elephant rocks, a Cormorant rookery. On the island 

 itself are several streams, in which Platypus are found. 

 Chestnut-breasted Teal are plentiful in places, as well as Black 

 Swans. Echidnas are numerous, especially near the coast ; 

 .they are the Tasmanian variety, as are the large majority of 

 the birds. In the scrub and timber are to be found Black 

 and Gang-gang Cockatoos, Allied Harrier, White Goshawk, 

 Wedge-tailed Eagle, Spotted Owl. White Cockatoo, Yellow- 

 bellied Parrakeet and many others. The Field Naturalists' 

 party identified 69 species ; 53 were common to Victoria and 

 Tasmania, and 14 peculiar to Tasmania, and two to Victoria, 

 consequently there is no lack of bird life on this island. Pacific 

 .and Silver Gulls, Oyster Catchers and Dottrels nest on the 

 coast. There is fairly sheltered anchorage for boats, and no 

 difficulty in landing. A few miles to the South of King Island 

 is Black Pyramid Rock, which so far has not been visited by 

 Field Naturalists ; on it is a large gannet rookery, covering 

 about ten acres, and looking at a distance like an enormous 

 white sheet spread over the ground ; this island is very difficult 

 to land on, and the gannetsare not likely to be much disturbed. 

 The last group of islands left is the Hunter Group ; they are 

 close to the North-west corner of Tasmania, and can easily be 

 reached from Circular Head. 



Three of the islands are of a fair size, namely Robins, 

 Barren, and three Hummocks, and there are several smaller. 

 Many White-bellied Sea Eagles have their nests here, especially 

 on Robins Island, and Mutton birds, Pacific and Silver Gulls, 

 Diving Petrels, Prions, Crows, Oyster-catchers, Penguins, 

 Pelicans, Black-cheeked Falcons, Reef-herons, and other birds 

 are to be found nesting here. Good anchorage can be obtained, 

 and plenty of fresh water on the larger islands, and good 

 fishing I need hardly say, and it is quite possible that more 

 Petrels will be found nesting on a systematic search being 

 made, especially on the smaller islands. 



