THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 
Nestling. “ Covered with white down ; bill black ” (Le Souef). 
Nest. “ Composed of chocolate-coloured soil, largely mixed, when in a wet state, with 
rootlets and other vegetation, which gives it the appearance of peaty substance. 
It is smoothed over and holds together fairly well, varying in height externally 
from 3 to 7 inches. The measurements of an average nest are as follows : Internal 
diameter 11| inches; external diameter 14; basal diameter 16| ; external height 
5| ; internal depth 3f.” (Le Souef.) 
Egg. “ Clutch, one ; creamy-white, freckled more or less with reddish-brown surface- 
markings on the larger end. In some cases these markings were minute, numerous, 
and almost continuous, while in others they were much larger and darker, on a 
shghtly reddish ground, but there were various gradations between the two types. 
The colour could be washed off , by a little friction. Dimensions in inches 4.6 to 4.1 
by 2.7 to 2.6.” (Le Souef.) 
Breeding-season. October to November (Le Souef). 
From the notes of Mr. Le Souef,* who found these birds breeding on Albatros 
Island, I gather the following : The male has darker grey on the sides of the 
neck and the yeUow markings on the bill brighter. The breadth across the 
wings, when stretched out, is about eight feet. They build their nests in 
colonies varying in size from six to forty, sometimes on the rocky ledges 
of the cliff, but mostly on the top of the island. The surrounding ground 
is quite bare of vegetation, and mostly covered with white guano. The nests 
are placed at varying distances from each other, some as near as one foot ; 
and appear to be used year after year. The male and female sit on the 
nest in turn. 
Frequently when one bird is on the nest, its mate will be seen sitting close 
alongside, and they cackle one to the other, and rub their beaks together. 
Again, when two strange birds meet, they stretch out their necks, make a loud 
cackhng noise, and, spreading out their tails, lean forward and put their heads 
several times first on one side and then on the other side of each other ; when 
a bird makes its way through the colony, every sitting bird that it passes makes 
a lunge at it with open beak. 
Sometimes they come to their nesting-island for rest ; and some of them 
were seen with their heads turned back and partially under their wing, and 
were asleep. 
When one wished to fly, it had to walk to the edge of the cliff and go off 
with a downward sweep ; but when the wind was blowing very strong the 
bird could then rise, facing it. They were quite undisturbed by a visitor walking 
through their nesting-colony, and could only be removed from their nests 
with difficulty. 
=» Ibis, 1895, p. 413. 
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