g20 



A'ESrS AND EGGS OF AVSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Eggs. — Clutch, one ; roundish or round oval in shape ; texture of 

 shell somewliat fine ; surface minutely pitted and without gloss ; colour, 

 pure wlute at first, but frequently stained with brownish diii,. Dimen- 

 sions in inches of selected examples: (1) 1'63 x 1"24, (2) 1'6 x 1*22. 



(3) 1-55 X 1-25, (4) 1-54 X 1-18, (5) 1-52 x 1-2, (6) 1-44 x M7. 



Observations. — This chubby-shaped little Petrel frequents the seas 

 washing the southern jjart of Australia and New Zealand, also those of 

 Cape Horn and vicinity. It appears to be represented in the South 

 Indian Ocean by P. exsul, which is obtained on Kerguelen, &c. 



The powers of flight are not so gi-eat in this singular species as 

 in most other Petrels, being a jjeculiar fluttering motion close to the 

 surface of the water, but the bird may be literally said to fly under 

 water, so great are its diving powers, and hence the especially apro- 

 priate name of Diving Petrel. 



I had the opportunity of first describing authenticated eggs of this 

 Diving Petrel in the beginning of August, 1886, having received a series 

 of eggs, together with a bird for identification, from Mr. F. Dunk, at 

 that time lighthouse keeper on Cliffy Island, ofl: Wilson's Proniontoiy. 

 Prom Mr. Dunk I learnt that the Diving Petrels usually remain in the 

 vicinity of the islands, but at seasons disappear for two or three months. 

 During June and July the bii'ds come ashore to scrape out or prepare 

 their nest-buiTows. The laying time occurs about the end of July and 

 continues for about a fortnight. 



On North-east Island, one of the Kent Group, about fifty miles 

 south of Cliffy Island, where Mutton Birds and Dove Petrels (Prion) 

 were breeding, we also found laige young, nearly feathered, with down 

 adherujg, of the Diving Petrels, on 24th November (1890). They 

 appeared to have been hatched about the end of September. Ihe 

 young in down are cloudy-giey ; bill and eyes black ; feet and legs 

 bluish. 



According to Sir W. BiiUer, this Petrel has been foimd breeding 

 on Stephens Island, in Cook Strait, New Zealand. It aiso' breeds on 

 Karewa Island (off Tauranga), on the small islets off the Great Barrier, 

 And on the " Hen and Chickens." 



Fui-ther south, on Macquarie Island, Diving Petrels have been found 

 laying during October (end) and November, about 500 feet above sea- 

 level, on the summit of the hills. 



