go6 



NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



her forth from the interior before an attempt is made to seciu-e the ^.^^g. 

 Her removal can be easily ellected. While she is stooping forward 

 at the entrance of the ncst-chamber looking out in readiness to bite, 

 a piece of stick is presented to her, whicli she seizes instantly, and 

 whilst it is being shaken to make her hold it fast, her beak is suddenly 

 grasped with the hand, and she is drawn up by it out of the buiTow, 

 shrieking loudly. Care must meanwhile be taken to prevent her from 

 thrusting her claws into the hand. Nests were found from the extreme 

 confines of the sea-shore to an altitude of about 300 feet above the 

 mean level. They were common amongst Azorella at the foot of the 

 cliffs near Thumb Peak; and on the siunmit of the lower terraces; 

 also in the hills near the Swain's Harbour Transit Station. There 

 were also some nests near the principal station on a slope by a fresh 

 water lake on the landward side of the hill." 



Diu'ing Mr. Hans Gundei-sen's (of Melbourne) oiling enterprise to 

 Kergueleu, between the dates of 28th December and 28th Januaiy, 

 Mr. Robt. Hall examined nine nests, the eggs of which contained well- 

 developed embryos. On the 29th January he imeartlied two veiy young 

 buds, one being attended by its parent. But a few days later he pro- 

 cured an egg that was tolerably fresh. It was observed that both parents 

 took paa-t in incubation during daytime. 



679. CESTKELATA MOLLIS, Gould. (631) 



SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL. 



Figuri:. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 50. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxv., p. 406. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883), also Nests and Eggs Austn. Birds, pi. 3, fig. 631 (1883). 



Gi^uyra pineal Distrihution. — East and possibly other coasts of Au.s- 

 fcralia and Tasmania ; also New Zealand and South Seas, more particularly 

 South Atlantic and South Indian Oceans, between 20 dcg and 50 deg. 

 south latitudes. 



Nest. — The usual rabbit-liko burrow. 



Eggs. — Clutch, one ; inclined to oval in shape ; texture of shell 

 somewhat coarse ; surface slightly glossy, with sometimes limy nodules 

 on the smaller end ; colour, pure white. Dimensions in inches : 

 2-39 X 1-67. 



Observations. — Although a frequenter of the South seas, tlic beauti- 

 ful Soft-plumaged Petrel also loves milder waters. It was the first 

 large Petrel Gould saw after crossing the line on his voyage to 

 Australia. He relates a curious incident about this particular bird, 

 which reads: "The weather being too boisterous to admit of a boat 



