210 Campbell, Camp-Oiit on Phillip Island. [isf April from the surface of the ground, scattered throughout the herbage, apparently through the " glut," there being no time or room to deposit them in the burrows. The last season, as late as the 5th December, two parties gathered 200 freshly deposited eggs from the surface of the various rookeries. (5) Egging-parties were coming and going all the egging season, but a week's observation proved that at no time were more than 15 boats present, or about 70 persons camped ashore. (6.) It is recommended that campers pay a nominal fee, as those do on the shores of Port Phillip Bay, or that a small toll per dozen be levied on the eggs or birds collected. (7.) It is also recommended that dogs shall not be permitted to accompany egging or birding parties on the rookeries. Note. — So far as the Cape is concerned, there appears to be little or no " birding" performed during the autumn. Bird Notes from Cleveland^ Tasmania. By (Miss) J. A. Fletcher. Part I. As far as Tasmania was concerned, 1908 proved one of the driest years on record, and, as many places in the island did not receive their usual winter soaking, the drought was severely felt as summer approached. In this particular district of the Tasmanian midlands, which ranges from 600 to 700 feet in altitude, a succession of heavy frosts was experienced, while during the preceding year only a week's severe frost was chronicled. Owing to the absence of the usual winter and spring rains several small lagoons dried up, consequently some of the water- fowl retreated to the larger ones, while others, such as the Native- Hen {Tribonyx moj'tieri) and the Black Duck {Anas superciliosa) made the South Esk River their headquarters. Still, in spite of the fact that the nesting season seemed to be somewhat erratic, many notes were made which may prove interesting. These lagoons are basin-like depressions, and as they are not fed by any creek, drainage from the surrounding hills must find its way by soakage to them. Unlike many of the Southern lagoons, the bottom of these, though muddy, is fairly firm, while in many parts the water, owing, I suppose, to decaying vegetable matter, is very irritating to the skin. Three species of reeds grow in these watery depressions — the ordinary brown, flat reed on the edges and in the shallower waters ; a round, green, shorter one in the deeper parts ; and amongst this latter rise clumps of a rush often exceeding 6 feet in height. These latter are the favourite nesting haunts of the Musk-Duck {Bhiura lobata).
