(407 ) 



where .S'. brcwsteri iiesiostis and .S'. piscatrix icebsteri were fonucl. Mr. Beck 

 sent us lieantifiil specimens with yellow beaks from the Alijos Rocks.] 



Sula variegata (Tsch.). 



Nnv. ZdOL. Vr, p. 178. 



We have received a heantifnl series from near Culpepper, Chatham, Bindloe, 

 Daphne and Indefatigable, and a young specimen in white down from Wenman 

 Island. 



This series fnlly bears ont onr remarks {I.e.). All the bills of the adnlt birds 

 are red. No young in the spotted plumage first described has been sent. It would 

 seem that the young 'spotted birds leave their breeding-places and frequent the 

 coasts of Pern and (Jhili until they have reached maturity. ((!f. Cat. B. Brit. 

 M/is. XXVI p. 43.5.) 



" S'l/n eurieyuta was nesting on Wenman in February, many yonng and a few 

 eggs being observed. The young were of all ages, and the eggs well incubated. 

 The nests were always close to the edge of a cliff, on the ground amongst weeds 

 and rocks. Though several sets of two eggs were found, in no case did I notice 

 more than one young bird with an old one. Many of the largest young squatted 

 al)out in the hot sun panting for breath, while otliers crawled under the weeds for 

 shelter. Tiie parents did not cover them unless very young, but frequently sat 

 alongside. Around Cape Berkeley, on Albemarle Island, quite a few young birds 

 were flying about on April 10th. Several were seen at Daphne on March Oth, flying 

 and sitting on the island. A pair of old birds were picking lice from each other's 

 necks seemingly, exactly as a eoujjle of horses will scratch one another. Three or 

 four variegated boobies were seen near Culpepper, eagerly picking barnacles off a 

 turtle's back. Though they jabbered and were very noisy, the turtle lay still on 

 top of the water. On another occasion a variegated booby was seen resting on a 

 floating turtle's back. It sat there as long as we could see it." 



Sula nebouxi Milne-Edw. 



Nov. Zodi., VI, 1811H, p. 178. 



Among a series from Wenman, Seymour, Daphne, and Indefatigable Islands 

 we have now also received birds in the first plumage, some monlting from the white 

 downy garb. These birds in the first plumage differ fmm the adult ones in having 

 the feathers of the head and neck (which in adult birds are narrow and pointed, 

 giving these parts a streaked white-and-brown appearance) shorter, soft, wide and 

 rounded, and of a uniform deep smoke-brown colour, so that the neck is in a 

 strikhig contrast to the white breast and abdomen. The feathers of the upperside 

 in the young are deep smoky-brown, with while or whitish edges, and the white 

 interscapular saddle, which is so consj)icuous in adult S. nebouxi, is not developed. 



Mr. Beck writes: "This species was mating on Daphne on April 10th, in 

 the crater near the centre of the island. The floor of the crater is sandy, and 

 here there were probably fifty pairs of birds whistling and calling. The males 

 erect the tail at an angle of 45 or more, walk back and forth pecking at one 

 another, and gabbling like a flock of geese. In fact, when I first heard them 

 I was strongly reminded of the vast flocks of geese on the San Joaquin plains in 

 California. Their call is quite like that of the Variegated Booby ; they have the 



