BY A, F. BASSET HULL. 659 



The eggs vary in size and shape, but in a far less marked 

 •degree than those of the Sooty Tern. I have not found any of 

 abnormally small size. Dimensions : (N'os.1-5, Admiralty Islet, 

 1C/X./07); (1)2-2 X 1-54; (2)2-2 x 1-4; (3)206 x 14; (4)2-24 x 1-3; 

 <5)2 X 1-46: (6)1-98 x l-4(Nepean Island, 12;xi./08). 



135(M). 19.MICRAN0US leucocapillus Gould. 



White-capped Noddy; Titerack'^N.L). 



A710US melanogenys, Crowfoot, p. 26 4; Ramsay, p. 38; North, 

 'Nests and Eggs,' p.376. 



Micranous lencocapilhis, Cat. Birds Eggs, B.M., i. p.l99, 1901; 

 Campbell, p. 856. 



Hab. — Norfolk Island(breeding), Lord Howe Island(accidental). 

 (N. and E. Australia, Pacific and Indian Oceans, S. Africa, E. 

 America, Caribbean Sea). 



The White-capped Noddy breeds on Norfolk and Phillip 

 Islands. Although a number of the birds visited Lord Howe 

 Island early in February, 1909, they onl}'^ remained there a fort- 

 night; and I am informed that this is the only recorded instance 

 of their occurrence at that Island. I have seen a photograph of 

 these visitors, from which their identity is established. 



I visited Phillip Island on 3rd November, 1908; and, after a 

 stifif climb up the steep and crumbling slopes leading to the higher 

 levels of the island, discovered that large colonies of the 

 ^' Titeracks " were sitting on their recently laid eggs. From a 

 dozen to a hundred or more birds take possession of one of the 

 large White Oak(Lagu7iaria Patersoni) trees, and adorn every 

 convenient fork or other suitable place, not despising a broad 

 horizontal branch with a few upright shoots, with their compact 

 little nests of brightly coloured seaweeds brought fresh and damp 

 from the rocks, and pressed into cushion-shape, with a slight 

 depression in the centre. The birds display considerable taste in 

 the selection of strikingly contrasted colour.s, red, green, and 

 purple seaweels being matted together with strands of the broad 

 -' Mooo " grass. 



