Mountain Tarn is Sea-birds* Home.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 185, 6 August 1931, Page 8

Mountain Tarn is Sea-birds * Home.

Nature Notes.

By

James Drummond,

F.L.S.. F.Z.S.

'P'HE FEW PEOPLE who have climbed to the top of Mount Galloway, 1350 feet, the highest point on the Antipodes Islands, far south of New Zealand, were surprised to see there a beautifully clear, azure lake about fourteen acres in area and across whose surface the south wind blows continually.

The lake is surrounded by thousands of nests of the common species of mollymawk, sometimes called the black-browed albatross, and at some seasons of the year the white, brownish-black and dark grey costumes of these large sea-birds make the little lake gay with movement. The common mollymawk has been described as stupid because it sits on its nest, whether it is hatching or not, until it is tumbled head over heels with a man’s foot. On the other hand, Sir Walter Buller saw much grace and beauty in it. “ It has the same awkward style of dropping into the water as the wandering albatross has, but as soon as it is on the surface it comfortably tucks in its wings and swims with equal buoyancy and grace, lifting its proud head well above its body, and glancing around sharply with piercing eyes. “ As if impelled by a sudden thought, it stretches up its long wings, mounts into the air, and g’ides as silently as a spirit, hardly moving its wings as it sweeps in circles, but restlessly turning its head from side to side as it watches the water below.” It feeds mainly on jellyfishes and small molluscs and crustaceans, but sometimes follows steamers for miles to pick up scraps thrown overboard.