S6 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
SOOTY ALBATROSS 
Phoebetria fusca campbelli 
A Sooty Albatross was shot in Hobson's Bay in 1861, 
and is now in the Melbourne Museum ; the fishermen 
who ply their calling off Torquay tell me they often 
see them, but here the possibility intrudes that they 
may not distinguish between the Sooty Albatross and 
the Giant Petrel. Both are fairly uniform dark 
brown in general colour, but once seen together 
there is no confusing them afterwards. I had this 
opportunity half-way between New Zealand and 
South America, and noted the absolutely graceful 
movements of this most clipper-built " of all the 
Albatrosses as compared with the ungainly lumbering 
flight of the Great Petrel. Further, the Albatross's 
tail, seen in flight, is sharply pointed, the body taper- 
ing off beautifully from the shoulders ; while the 
Petrel has a heavily wedged tail, which reminds one 
of that of the Wedge-tailed Eagle. 
There are no breeding-places of this Albatross 
within many hundreds of miles of the Australian 
coast. 
WHISKERED OR MARSH TERN 
Hydrochelidon leucopareia fiuviatilis 
I LIKE better the old name Marsh Tern, as appro- 
priate an one as ever was given, calling up to my 
mind as it does upon the instant a picture of those 
