40 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
proclaimed a Bird Sanctuary, and now these tiny 
wanderers have peace when they come up out of 
the sea to the island beaches in the spring. Peace at 
least from the fisherfolk, and one trusts that the 
enlightened naturalists who from time to time 
visit the place for the advancement of science, may 
interpret their permission to take specimens in a 
way which will not be altogether ruinous to the 
breeding Petrels. 
BROWN-BACKED PETREL 
Reinholdia reinholdi byroni 
This is a small Mutton-Bird with white breast and 
under surface. I record it for this district on the 
strength of three examples in the National Museum 
at Melbourne, which are marked as having been 
obtained from Queenscliff in October, 1884, and 
probably were shot by fishermen in the vicinity of 
Port Phillip Heads. The species breeds on islands 
o^f Newcastle, N.S.W., as well as on Norfolk Island 
and certain islets north of New Zealand. It is note- 
worthy that the eggs are laid in July, most of our 
Petrels being November breeders. The Brown- 
backed Petrel is closely allied to species inhabiting the 
Northern Hemisphere, and one may suggest that a 
" colony " which moved south into Australian seas 
kept closer to the northern seasons than the southern 
birds of the same order, 
