THE CAPE HEN. 87 



on the wing by the bright yellow of the bill and a white spot under the chin of an 

 otherwise wholly black bird. When the bird is on the wing its bill appears to be 

 comparatively long and thin, the legs and feet black and extending well beyond the 

 tail give it even more of a cuneate form than it really has. It was an abundant Ijird 

 in the South Atlantic, and increased in numbers enormously when we came in sio-ht 

 of South Africa, sitting in small companies on the water all around, and reminding us 

 curiously in its colouring of the common Coot.* It was very abundant in False Bay, 

 but we missed it in Simon's Bay. From October 15th onwards we had it with us on 

 our way to New Zealand until November 9th when we lost it in 52° S. 120° E. 



We saw no more of this l)ird until, on our return home, we were passing through 

 the Magellan Straits. Here there were a few on July 7th ; we had not seen one 

 between the Straits and New Zealand. On July 28 th, 29th, and 30 th we saw a few 

 in the South Atlantic between 30° and 37° S. in 32° W. Its flight is characteristic, 

 the appearance of length and narrowness in its wings being much enhanced ])y its 

 uniform blackness. The wings in flight have a very angular look : the Ijird is of 

 a quarrelsome disposition, fighting greedily for scraps, and displaying the most 

 ungainly spread of feet and straddled legs as it splashes with its rivals into the 

 water. It is not known to wander farther to the north than 30° S. It breeds on 

 the Crozets and in Kerguelen Island, according to Mr. Eaton, in a hole similar to a 

 deserted rabbit's hole excavated in wet ground, with water standing (in early summer) 

 an inch or two inches deep within the entrance, especially if it is in a slope near the 

 sea. The nest is built of mud and pieces of plants arranged in the form of an inverted 

 saucer, three or four inches high, hollowed out at the top. (Phil. Trans., 1G8 (1879), 

 p. 121.) 



(ESTEELATA LESSONI. 



Lesson's Petrel. 



Procellaria lessoni, Garnot, Ann. Sci. Nat. VII. (1826), p. 54, pi. 4. 



CEstrelata lessoni, Cassin, Pr. Ac. Phil. 18G2,p. 327 ; Salvin, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXV. (1896), p. 401, ibique 

 citata. 



This is a bird which, from its characteristic marking and powerful flight, seldom 



failed to attract attention. Although it was never abundant, and usually occurred 



singly, flying wide of the ship and rarely daring to approach closely, its white head 



with the dark eye streak and the conspicuous W across its back and wings were 



easily to be seen at a distance. We first met with it in the Southern Indian Ocean 



(48° S. 96° E.) in November, and in the same month we saw it also in 59° S. 148° E. 



Also ofi" the S.E. coast of New Zealand (44° 37' S.) and on the outskirts of the ice 



(63° S. 178° E.) on January 1st. In such high latitudes it is by no means uncommon 



in March, and we saw it frequently onwards from March 4th (67° S. 155° E.) on our 



way to New Zealand from the south, more abundantly in this portion of our voyage 



* Coot = Fulica atra. 



