OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



407 



burrows in the ground, about, 6 inches in diameter and 12 to 

 20 inches in length, in no instance was more than one egg 

 obtained in a burrow ; the males and females assist in incuba- 

 tion ; out of five specimens of birds taken from the burrows 4 

 proved to be females. There is no difference in the plumage of 

 the sexes. The eggs are apparently laid at night ; the birds 

 arrive in countless numbers in the evening and most of them, 

 the males probably, or those not engaged in hatching, return 

 to the sea at daylight in the morning. As many as 20 dozen 

 eggs have been taken on a single morning, the workmen at 

 the lighthouse finding them a very delicious article of food. 

 Their average weight is 2 oz.; the lightest and smallest sent me 

 weighed 1*5 oz. They are usually of an oval form, 2*4 inches in 

 length by 1'6 inch breadth, of a pure white color and of a smooth 

 tine grain. One specimen sent to me by Mr. MacLeod, is more 

 pointed at the thin end, and Kas very light brown irregular 

 blotches on the thicker end ; the shell is slightly difi^erent in 

 texture and may belong to a species of Tern, nevertheless it 

 was obtained in one of the PulS&n's burrows. 

 Measurements of Eggs. 



Specimens of the birds sent to me alive have the irides blackish 

 brown, legs and feet pale flesh color, bill dark brown above lighter 

 below. 



