ON THE BIRDS OK CJOUGH ISLAND, SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. 283 



(Verrill, i.e., pp. 434-435) states that they "cannot fly and only use their wings to 

 help them in running. . . . They are quite plentiful and can be caught by hand. . . . 

 The bushes grow on the island up to about 2000 feet, and these birds are found as far 

 as the bushes grow. I do not know how many eggs they lay. . . . When alarmed, 

 their note is a shrill whistle. They eat the eggs of other birds and also follow the tide 

 down to feed on small animals left by the receding waves, but are careful never to go 

 into salt water . . . but are very fond of getting into fresh water and splashing it 

 over them. . . . They run swiftly when pursued, helping themselves with their wings, 

 and endeavour to get under a tussock, or some such place, to hide. . . . They have a 

 very peculiar habit of always hopping over every obstacle, such as a branch or dead 

 stick, instead of going under it as might be expected." 



This species differs from /'. ticsiotis, of Tristan da Cunha. in having scarcely any 

 white on the outer edge of the first primary, and in the nam>\vrr and smaller streaks of 

 white on the flanks. 



4. Sterna vittata Gmelin. 



There are five specimens of this tern in the collection. One of these is an adult, 

 and the rest are in the pretty first plumage, in which the back is strongly barred with 

 buff and black, and the buff fore-neck finely dusted with grey. In the yunng birds in 

 life the bill is brownish black and the feet pinkish brown. Many of these terns were 

 seen in the vicinity of the island. 



Mr Comer describes this bird as not uncommon at Gough Island, but makes no 

 mention of its breeding there. It has been recorded from Tristan da Cunha. 



5. [Anous stolid us (Linn.). 



This noddy was apparently not observed by the members of the Expedition. 

 Mr Comer's collection contained a specimen from Gough Island, and he remarks : " Quite 

 a number here " (Verrill, I.e., p. 452). It occurs and nests at Tristan da Cunha. J 



\_Larus dominicanus Licht. 



This gull is included in Verrill's lists (t.c. pp. 450 and 464) for Gough Island, but no 

 specimens appear to have been obtained there. Mr Comer remarks that there were "a 

 very few sea-gulls ; do not think there were more than six around the island." These 

 remarks are supposed by Verrill to refer to this species. It did not come under 

 the notice of the Scottish naturalists, nor does it seem to have been observed at 

 Tristan da Cunha.] 



6. Megalestris antarctica (Lesson). 



Many skuas were observed off the island, and two specimens were added to the 

 collection probably birds of the year, since they show rufous markings on the mantle, 



neck, and lesser wing-coverts. 



VOL. IV. ' ' 



