EAST AUSTRALIAN WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL. 
birds in the various rookeries, it was impossible to arrive at any estimate, beyond 
that the numbers must have run into some thousands. Not all the birds left 
at dawn, for in several instances pairs were found in their burrows during the day. 
“ Pacific Gulls are not the only enemies they have to contend against on 
Ninth Island, for a couple of domestic cats run wild, in high condition, were 
seen. Scores and scores of dead Storm-Petrels in various stages of disruption, 
were scattered about the rookeries, and in several places among the rocks on the 
hill-side were heaps of bones and feathers. Penguins also account for a number, 
for they peck them as they search for their burrows, and one peck means death.” 
Mr. S. P. Townsend* writing about this bird on Mud Island, Victoria, 
observes : “ The nesting burrows are from one to two feet deep, but some I could 
not bottom with my whole arm thrust in up to the shoulder. The holes contained 
young at the time of my visit (end of December), one in each hole ; but in one 
hole I found two. The second bird probably strayed m, as some of the holes 
ran into one another, they are so close together, the ground being fairly riddled. 
Unlike the Mutton-bird, no attempt at a nest is made. The young birds, like all 
Petrels, are very oily ; one I obtained for a specimen had half an eggcupful of 
oil in its stomach. 
“ I was anxious to ascertain at what hour the parent birds returned from 
sea, as the holes were only tenanted by the young. I waited at dusk, thinking 
they would come in about the same time as the Mutton-birds {Puffinus brevi- 
caudus ) ; however, there was no sign of them until it was pitch dark, showing 
that they are a more timid bird than their dusky relative. It was after nine 
before I saw a sign of a bird, and then a couple flew close to me.” 
Later on Mr. Townsend visited the island (January 16th) and “ the first 
bird was seen (returning) at a quarter past nine, and they came in a few at a time 
until near 10 o’clock, when there were large numbers arriving. They circled round 
the spot several times, evidently to identify their particular burrow, and then 
noiselessly and gracefully alighted within a foot or two of the entrance, and, 
finding it, burrowed energetically for a moment or two and disappeared below. 
The birds flew with a soft flight, making scarcely any noise, and gave no call, 
so that on a dark night, with a breeze, one could scarcely know there was a bird 
about. 
“ Shortly after ten we went and tried a few holes to see if the old birds were 
in, but after trying several and only finding young, we soon c^We to the 
conclusion that the Petrels merely stayed in the burrows long enough to feed the 
young one, and then flew away to sea. This was verified in a few moments, as I 
saw a bird enter a burrow close by. The young one made a noise like a chicken 
the whole time it was evidently being fed. After the old bird had been in the nest 
* Victorian Naturalist, Vol. XIX;, p. 166, 1903. 
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