9q6 



XESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



is probably to be found in the Seychelles Group. Here, Mr. E. Newton 

 found a nest on Mahe, in January, and it was situated in the hole of 

 a dead stump of a ' capucin,' about fifteen feet from the ground, and 

 contained a young bird, the produce of a single egg which this species 

 always lays. At Ascension, Mr. Gill, as recorded by Mr. Penrose, 

 found it breeding on Boatswain Bird Island, so called from the large 

 number of Tropic Birds which always nest there. It was scarcer than 

 the large barred species, P. cethereiis, and was nesting in holes on the 

 side of the island. Like its congeners, it is very tame when breeding, 

 allowing itself to be pulled out of its nest, but biting vigorously 

 notwithstanding." 



Professor Moseley, in his fascinating book, " A Natm-alist on the 

 ' Challenger,' " graphically describes the breeding home of the White- 

 tailed Tropic Bird, as well as those of several other species of Australian 

 sea-birds, on far away Ascension Island. Boatswain Bird Island is a 

 high rock separated from the mainland by a nan-ow channel. The sides 

 of the rock are precipitous, but some of the sailors managed to climb 

 up and fix a rope at the summit, so that it hung down the cliff. The 

 face of the cliff was covered with guano, hanging everywhere upon it 

 in large projecting masses of stalactite-like fonnation. The members of 

 the nesting party clambered up the cliff by means of the rope, being 

 half blinded and choked by the g^iano dust on the way. In holes on the 

 side of the cliff, biuTowed in the accumulated guano, were nests of two 

 kinds of Tropic Birds (P. lepturus and cethenux). 



Although there has been no authenticated record of a third species 

 of Tropic Bird occuiTing in Australian waters, I believe the largest 

 White-tailed species, P. (Fihereux. occasionally visits the north-east 

 coast. Some years ago Mr. E. L. Layard, when British Consul at 

 Noumea, New Caledonia, kindly sent me three eggs of a Tropic Bird 

 marked " ronrlidiix? " collected on Bampton Shoals. Obviously, by 

 their large size, these eggs are not those of canditlux /'now Jepturux), 

 nor by their colouration are the}' rtihriraiuln ; therefore, they are most 

 probably referable to P. retJiemis: of Linnreus. 



The eggs may be thus described: — Oval in shape, or move or less 

 pointed at one end ; texture of shell coarse ; surface without gloss ; 

 colour, warm-white, moderately marked with roundish blotches and 

 spots of dark pui-plish-brown. Dimensions in inches: (1) 2-75 x 1-96, 

 (2) 2-7 X 1-8,3, (3) 2-69 X 1-75. 



The geographical distribution of P. ntlirren^ is the tropical portions 

 of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. 



