278 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



(Phylica nitida) : the former spread profusely over the steeper slopes, and the latter 

 gnarled and stunted, yet growing vigorously even on the most exposed ridges. These 

 trees appear hardly to rise beyond twenty feet in height, and generally bear a thick 

 growth of lichens on their stems. Under the waterfalls and the sheltered banks of the 

 streams ferns and mosses grow in luxuriance. More than the general aspect of the 

 vegetation on the higher ground could not be determined, but the very summit of the 

 island seemed by its green appearance to be clothed with mosses and lichens." 



To this description may be added a few items culled from Mr Comer's notes, to 

 which reference will be made more particularly anon. He tells us that there are two 

 kinds of trees on the island, one of which is quite plentiful, but the other is scarce. 

 These, though stunted, are dense in some places, and retain their leaves all the year 

 round. The thick bushes, he says, extend up to an elevation of about 2000 feet, while 

 the grass and brakes grow very rankly and make walking extremely difficult. 



According to the Report on the Fisheries and Fishing Industries of the United Stutcx, 

 vol. ii. p. 415 (1817), Gough " Island at one time abounded in fur-seals and sea-elephants, 

 but is now almost deserted by those animals. About 1825 a party of American sealers 

 lived there, but met with such indifferent success that the station was abandoned." 



The few accounts agree that, owing to the weather conditions usually prevailing, 

 landing on Gough Island is a matter of great difficulty. In the case of the Scotia, 

 three days were spent off the island, during which her staff, after landing under the 

 most trying conditions, were only able to remain ashore about four hours. This was 

 on the 22nd of April 1904.* 



Previous to this visit only twelve species of birds had been identified as forming the 

 avifauna of the island. The naturalists of the Scotia observed or secured examples of 

 nineteen species, and added no less than twelve to the ornis of the island, of which two, or 

 possibly three, are new to science. The total avifauna now stands at twenty-three species. 



Only three terrestrial forms are known, all of which are peculiar species namely, 

 two buntings of the genus Nesospiza and a flightless Gallinule, Porphyriornis comeri. 



The two species of Nexospiza are the most interesting, not, however, because they 

 are novelties, nor because we owe our knowledge of them to the researches of the Scottish 

 Expedition, but because they differ very considerably from their single congener, 

 N. acunhie, peculiar to Tristan da Cunha, where it is now confined to Inaccessible 

 Island, though it was formerly also found on the main island of the group. 



The Gough Island birds of this genus differ remarkably among themselves, and 

 whether they represent two species or only one in various stages of plumage is a matter 

 on which opinions differ. At first I was under the impression that they were repre- 

 sentatives, sexual or otherwise, of a single species ; but an examination of the material 

 revealed characters which it was difficult to reconcile with such an opinion, and which 

 led me to describe them as two species. My reasons for doing so will be explained in 

 the systematic portion of this contribution. 



* For a fuller account of Gough Island, see Scot. Geog. M<KJ., xxi., 1905, pp. 430-440. 



