. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 45 so deprived of its egg produces a se- cond, and the fact that some birds are much hiter than others in rearing their young, is thus accounted for. Conspicuous among tlie numerous birds are tlie Gannets (Sula), whose large white forms are to l)e descried. A Gannet and its young. Photo—B. R. Waite. everywliere. They exhibited but little eo2]cern at our presence, tliough if dis- turbed they readily showed fight with their powerful Iteak^. At such times they tvud ciuelly u]ion their poor lialf- fledged young, whi
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 45 so deprived of its egg produces a se- cond, and the fact that some birds are much hiter than others in rearing their young, is thus accounted for. Conspicuous among tlie numerous birds are tlie Gannets (Sula), whose large white forms are to l)e descried. A Gannet and its young. Photo—B. R. Waite. everywliere. They exhibited but little eo2]cern at our presence, tliough if dis- turbed they readily showed fight with their powerful Iteak^. At such times they tvud ciuelly u]ion their poor lialf- fledged young, which also i)roved well capalile of defending themselves. Some- times the i^arent birds would surprise us ))y disgorging one or even tvvo half- digested ilying-fish or mackerel, winch, as they were about a foot long, made us wonder where they had been stowed. Graceful little P>lue-billies nested on the cliffs, while such low shrubs and sticks as existed were seized iipon by the Noddies for the support of their grassy nests. To seaward we observe<l a long black ribbon of Mutton Birds, spending the daylight hours collecting food for themselves and tlieir hungry young—which set us wondering how many tons of fish and drift-life must be consumed daily to support the myriad inhabitants of the Admiralties and the main island. ilUTTON BIRDS. In the seclusion of the dense palm forest on the eastern side of the main island are the ''Mutton-bird Grounds," where the burrows of these Inrds are so numerous that one cannot walk among them without constantly siidving knee- deep through the loose sand into tlieir excavations. Year- after year these strange birds return to these particular portions of the island, and dig out afresh the deep burrows in which to lay their eggs. We were assured by some residents of the island that the same burrows are ex- cavated annually, even thougli all traces of them be renio\-ed between the l)reeding seasons. Should one be ex- cavated in a i^ositio
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