THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Young. “ Differs from tiie adult in having the head and neck ash-grey, and the upper 
surface of wings and inter-scapular region brownish-black, the smaller wing-coverts 
with paler margins, the bill blue-black, and the legs and feet bluish-grey ” (Buller). 
Nestling. “ Covered with long, thick woolly down, of a pale grey colour ; biU brownish- 
black with yellowish horn-coloured tip ; legs and feet yellowish- white ” (Buller). 
Nest. “A conical mound from 8 in. to 18 in. in height constructed of mud mixed with 
vegetable substances, the cup-shaped depression is lined with finer materials ” 
(Waite) . 
Nggs. Clutch, one ; surface dull, and having a ring round the larger end of reddish- 
brown specks and blotches; axis 97 to 114 mm., diameter 54 to 69. 
Incubation 'period. Sixty days (Dougall). 
Breeding-season. November to January. 
Very little appears to have been written about the breeding-habits of the 
Australian form of Th. melano'phris. 
Though Gould noted, “ It was nowhere more numerous than off the 
Southern coast of Van Diemens’ Land, where a large company followed our 
vessel for many days, and continued to hover around us until we entered 
Storm Bay,” I know of no nesting -place off the Australian coast. 
Waite* has written : “ Numbers of these birds flew about the vessel as it 
lay at anchor, and swooped down for food thrown from the galley. On Dis- 
appointment Island we came across their breeding grounds. The nests are made 
on a rather steep slope, clothed with Ligusitcum, and consist of a conical mound, 
varying in height from 8 in. to 18 in. The nest is constructed of mud mixed 
with vegetable substances scraped from around, and the cup-shaped depression 
is lined with finer materials. The birds sit but a few feet apart, and they dot 
the whole of the hillside.” A beautiful photograph, of a bird on its nest is 
there reproduced. 
Mr. W. Dougallf writes : “At Campbell Island I ascended one of the 
highest hills. Mount Honey (1866 feet) amidst hundreds of nests of the Albatros, 
surrounded by nothing save the unvarying tussock fern and ti-tree scrub. 
We came on the first Albatros at about 800 feet above sea level, and after 
reaching the crown of the hill 1,000 feet, found them sitting in their nests and 
flying about close to the ground in hundreds. The Albatros apparently lays 
but one egg each year, but one of the party found two nests containing two 
eggs each. It was suggested that this was only a freak of nature, although 
it is known that the Gannet of New Zealand lays two eggs, one of which is 
hatched by the male bird. All up the sides of the hill wild parsley was growing 
luxuriantly often two feet high, while everlasting daisy clothed the ground 
like a carpet. The cotton-wood plant in full bloom was also plentiful. As 
the top (1866 feet) is reached, this variety of vegetation ends, and travelling 
becomes easier, as there is no growth to impede progress but diminutive tussock, 
* Suhant. I si. New Zeal., p. 574, 1909. 
t Buller, Birds New Zeal., 2nd ed., Vol. II., p. 199, 1888. 
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