Qo8 NESTS AND EGGS OF AVSTHALIAN BIRDS. 



Xest and Eggs. — Undesci-ibed. 



Observations. — Although the Wliite-winged Petrel is closely allied 

 to the Cook Petrel, the best authorities agi-ee that these two delicately 

 formed bu-ds are distinct. Gould says : — " On comparing the specimens 

 of both' I find that my bird (leucoptera), which was obtained while 

 breeding on Cabbage Tree Island, at the mouth of Port Stepliens, has a 

 shorter and much stouter bill, a much darker head, neck, and upper 

 surface, and a uniform coloiu^ed tail, whereas Mi'. Gray's (E. cooL-i has 

 the inner webs of the outer tail feathers snow-white." 



He further states that the White-winged Petrel breeds in abundaJice 

 on Cabbage Tree Island. In aU probability it does not breed there 



682. — Q'vSTRELATA GooKi, G. R. Gray. — (633) 

 COOK PETREL. 



Hefereiice. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxv., p. 417. 



Previous Descriplions of Eggs. — Reischek : Trans. New Zealand Inst., 

 vol. xviii., p. 92 (1885); Duller: Birds of New Zealand, vol. 

 ii., p. 218 (1888). 



Geographical Distribution. — Seas of Queensland and New South 

 Wales; also New Zealand. 



Nest. — A lengthened and tortuous subterranean burrow from 3 to 8 

 feet in length. (For details see " Obsei-vations.') 



Egi/s. — Clutch, one ; broadly ovoido-clliptical ; stu-face smootli but 

 not glossy ; coloiu', perfectly white. Dimensions in inches : (1) 2-1 x TS, 

 (2) 1-9 X 1-5 (Buller). 



Obsermtinns. — This delicate Petrel was first discovered off the New 

 Zealand coast, duiing the voyage of the " Erebus " and " Ten-or," and 

 was named by G. R. Gray after the immortal navigator, Cook. 



It is interesting to leam that the eggs of this beautiful bird have 

 been found on islands off the north coast of New Zealand. 



Again I give for this Petrel Mr. A. Reischck's own observations, 

 which appear to have been taken in a very methodical manner diuing 

 his different collecting excursions : " This pretty little Petrel is not so 

 common as the previous species (M. pnrhinxoni and (E. maeropiera), 

 according to Sir Walter Buller ; there have been only a few specimens 

 obtained, and VC17 little is known of their habits, but I have succeeded 

 in observing them carefully. The first time I met with this bird was 

 in December, 1880, on my second research at the Chickens on Morotiri 

 Islands, on the western slope of the larger island, along willi the 

 Tuatara Lizard (Sphenodon jtunrlatum), in one burrow. On the north- 



