io8 Director's Anmial Report. 



A careful study of the adults secured, in comparison with other 

 skins from Laysan, shows no variation in color worthy of remark. 

 The nestling in the down has not been heretofore described. 

 A specimen (Museum No. 21 16) not more than five days old is a 

 smok}' lilac-gray over the back and top of the head, and very light 

 pearl gray on the under parts, darkest on the abdomen. The bill 

 was olive-gray at the tip, darker at the base, drying darker. Feet 

 bluish light flesh-color, drying buffy. I append the measurements 

 of the seven specimens. 



Tail. 



Though I took pains to look, I saw no sign of Bulwer's Petrel,. 

 Bonin Petrel, or the Hawaiian Storm Petrel ; though one might, 

 with good reason, expect to meet with them on this island. 



Puffinus nativitatis Streets. Christmas Island Shear- 

 water. 



The seven specimens of this Shearwater that were secured form 

 an interesting series, ranging from the young in the down through 

 the different stages to the fully adult. The species is not uncom- 

 monly found sitting under the same bushes and roots in company 

 with its wedge-tailed cousin and the Red-tailed Tropic Bird. There 

 appears to be no contention among them. Unlike P. eiineatiis they 

 were never seen to burrow in the ground, choosing a dark cool 

 place under any sheltering bush or root. They lay but a single 

 smooth white ^"gz- l^he season for eggs had passed by the first 

 of August, there only being an occasional infertile one to be seen. 

 But the variation in the size of the young bird was conclusive proof 

 that the period of deposition was a long one. 



The nestlings, in the first down, are interesting little balls of 

 a drab color all over, without variation other than being a trifle 

 darker on the head and rump. At this age they look not unlike 

 powder puffs as they sit on the nest with their heads drawn in, just 

 leaving their blue-black bills sticking out to suggest the handle. 

 As the nestling gets older the down, which continues to grow 

 longer and coarser, is finally followed by the first feathers. It was 



