128 Transactions. — ZoologT/. 



were nearly all hatched by the end of January, while at Anti- 

 podes Island, a little to the north again, they had hardly 

 begun to lay at the beginning of February. In all these three 

 islands albatrosses are most plentiful. 



The albatross takes five years to become fully mature, and 

 in each year there is a slight change of plumage. The young, 

 which are hatched in February, are covered with snow-white 

 down, and a beautiful specimen in this stage exists in the 

 Otago Museum. In the following December they lose their 

 down, and the plumage is of a brown colour, wdth white under 

 the wings and on the throat. In the second year the plumage 

 is the same except that there is more white on the throat and 

 abdomen. In the third year there is still more white, although 

 mixed with blotches of brown, the under parts, however, 

 being nearly all white. The wings and tail remain dark- 

 brown. In the fourth year they very nearly acquire the full 

 plumage. The male is white wath a few very fine dark specks, 

 except the wings, which are dark-brown. In the fifth year 

 they reach their full growth, and the mature plumage is dis- 

 played — white, with blackish-brown wings. The measure- 

 ments are as follows : Total length from the tip of the bill to 

 the end of the tail, 3ft. 3iu. Bill, Tin. Tail, 7-25in. Whole 

 wing, from 4ft. lOin. to 5ft. lOin. ; primaries, 1ft. Sin. Whole 

 leg, 1ft. lO^in. ; tarsus, 4:-5in. ; middle toe, 7in. The female 

 is much smaller, as can be seen at once from the specimens 

 exhibited. 



Notwithstanding the ease and grace of the albatross on 

 the ocean, on the land it is a most clumsy and helpless bird. 

 Its walk is slow and waddling, like that of a duck, and it 

 cannot take flight from a level piece of ground. It is for this 

 reason that these birds have been gifted by nature with the 

 instinct of making their nests on the slojDes of mountains, for 

 by running down-hill, and labouring hard with their wings, 

 they can at last acquire momentum sufficient to raise them- 

 selves in the air. Once there they exhibit their true power, 

 and are seen to the best advantage.' 



Art. XL- — On. a. Specimen of the Bnmn, Gannet (Sula fusca) 

 shot in Napier Harbour, icith Notes on other New Zealand 

 Birds. 



By A. Hamilton. 



[Read before the Hatoke's Bay PhilosojpJiical Institute, 9th July, 18S8.] 



It is my good fortune to be able to record the occurrence 

 of a bird which to the best of my belief has not yet been ob- 

 served in New Zealand, although the remarkable part of the 



