GREY-BACKED SHEARWATER (Puffinus bulleri) 250 FLUTTERING SHEARWATER (Puffinus gavia) 30 PALE-FOOTED SHEARWATER (Puffinus carneipes) 40 3? SOOTY SHEARWATER (Puffinus griseus) 10 Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) 3 THE WATER WAS SO SMOOTH & MANY OF THE SHEARWATERS WERE FLYING SO NEAR THE SHIP THAT ONE COULD SEE THEIR REFLECTIONS IN THE GLASSY SURFACE. THE TIPS OF THEIR WINGS OCCASIONALLY SHEARED THE WATER EVER SO SLIGHTLY - YOU COULD ONLY NOTICE THIS IN VERY CALM WEATHER. WHAT A PERFECT LANDING ONE COULD MAKE ON THE 15- HANDS TODAY. THE GULLS LEFT US SOME TIME BETWEEN 10: + 12: M. THERE WAS SO LITTLE BREEZE THAT THE ALBATROSSES GAVE UP ALSO. WE DID NOT PICK UP ANY MORE UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON - AT LEAST BY 3:30 P.M. (SAW FROM BRIDGE) - POSSIBLY EARLIER. I TOOK A NAP FROM 10: UNTIL NOON. WHEN I CAME ABOVE DECK THERE WAS NOTHING DOING EXCEPT R. WILSON'S STORM-PETREL AND A FEW (COUNTING ALL P.M.) SHEARWATERS - 75 (1 PER 5 MIN.) - ALL OF ABOVE SPECIES (PROB. MOSTLY P. BULLERI) - ALL WELL OFF SHIP. WENT TO BRIDGE AFTER LUNCH FOR ABOUT AN HOUR - TOOT OFF WEATHER & READ A COUPLE OF SHORT STORIES OF MAUGHAM THAT THE 3RD RECOMMENDED. M. HAD EVIDENTLY BEEN AROUND THE CAPE YORK, THURSDAY IS. SECTION A BIT. THEN WENT DOWN TO STERN FAN TAIL TO WATCH THE ALBATROSSES. THE CHIEF ELECTRICIAN, R. COURTENAY, AN IRISHMAN TRANSPLANTED TO N.Z. (+ AN ARDENT N.Z.ER) WAS MUCH INTERESTED IN THE ALBATROSSES & TOLD ME ABOUT BIRDS SEEN ON BOARD SHIP & FROM SHIP IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD; WELL READ & WITH AN INTEREST THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. LOANED HIM "N.Z. BIRDS" TO READ. TOLD HIM ABOUT ALEXANDER "B. OF OCEAN. CAPT. VISITED BRIDGE WHILE I WAS THERE. SAID HE HAD NEWS THAT THE SHARKS WERE BAD ON SYDNEY BEACHES THIS SEASON. SAYS GALES ON TASMAN SEA BLOW UP SUDDENLY & SUBSIDE AS QUICKLY - A DEEP SEA. BUT NOT DESERVE NAME "THE TERRIBLE TASMAN". WHEN I CAME ON DECK THIS A.M. I COULD SMELL THE LAND VERY STRONGLY - A FRESH TREE-FLOWER ODOR. WE WERE NOT MORE THAN 4 MILES OFF. EARLY IN A.M. (DARK) WE PASSED KAWAU ISLAND - TURBOTT TOLD ME THAT THIS IS PLACE WHERE OWNER HAD INTRODUCED: TRICHOSURUS VULPECULA (OPPOSUM); PETROGALE PENNICILLATA; THYLOGALE EUGENII, WALLARIA BICOLOR; WALLARIA DORSALIS. MOON IS SHINING TONIGHT. NORTHERLY BREEZE HAS SPRUNG UP & IS FUNNELING INTO OUR CABIN. NORFOLM IS. IS TO NORTH OF US. No motion - swell is gone.