BuLLER. — On Neio Zealand Birds. 85 



of the tail out. I took measurements of this one, but did not 

 preserve it, as I intended to make a camp in a cave near the 

 breeding-ground and collect a number. I visited the place 

 at intervals, and the birds were just cleaning out their burrows 

 (February), when some mining business called me away to 

 another part of the district. However, I hope to get specimens 

 next season. The burrows were very deep, and it would 

 scarcely be practicable to collect a single specimen and return 

 to the hut under eight or nine hours, unless a track were 

 first cut through the dense bog-pine — a week's work, I sup- 

 pose." 



.ffistrelata mollis, Gould. (The Soft-plumaged Petrel.) 



Of this species Mr. Cheeseman lately showed me at the 

 Auckland Museum an interesting series of skins from Sunday 

 Island (Kermadec group). Two of them had the plumage 

 entirely dark, showing that this species, like many other sea- 

 birds, exhibits a peculiar phase of dimorphism. This is a sub- 

 ject about which we at present know very little, and it would 

 be interesting to ascertain whether the dark character of 

 plumage becomes hereditary under favourable conditions — ■ 

 that is to say, when dark birds pair together — or whether in 

 such cases there is a latent tendency to revert to the normal 

 colouring. It would be instructive also to note the character 

 of the offspring when birds of the two phases mate together, 

 as is often the case. 



In Mr. Cheeseman's series there are two albinoes, both 

 handsome birds, but one having the plumage of a purer white 

 than the other. 



Ossifraga gigantea, Gmelin. (The Giant Petrel.) 



Of this fine Petrel, several remarkable examples have lately 

 come under my notice. The specimen exhibited, which is an 

 almost pure albino, was captured a few weeks ago off the 

 coast near Kaikoura. The general plumage is white, but there 

 are widely scattered feathers of the normal colour. There is 

 a similar specimen in Mr. S. W. Silver's fine collection of New 

 Zealand birds at Wantage. There is on board the " Hinemoa " 

 the skin of another which was shot by the chief steward off 

 the Snares about a year ago. In this the dark feathers are 

 fewer, or more widely scattered, and the bill is of a yellowish 

 horn-colour. Captain Fairchild tells me that for a long time 

 past he has observed a perfectly white one at the Bounty 

 Islands ; but it is a very shy bird, and hitherto has kept well 

 out of gun-range. 



Since the above was written I have received another 

 beautiful albino wdiich was shot at sea about ten miles north 

 of Milford Sound. 



