360 PUFFINIS/E. 



sandy spot overhung by a rock. On Phillip Island and other islets, the eggs are often seen on 

 the sand, but on Norfolk Island I have never seen them out of burrows; possibly this may be 

 because on Norfolk Island there are so many wild cats, and a great quantity of these Petrels are 

 killed by them. They may be often seen dead not far from the entrance to their holes during 

 the breeding season killed by cats; whereas on the adjacent islands there are no cats. These 

 burrows are at times very long and there is no attempt at a nest. I have never seen more than 

 one egg in a burrow, and when fresh it is beautifully white. The eggs vary in size and shape; 

 I have seen them as early as September and as late as February. The birds when first arriving 

 at the island make a wierd moaning noise as they fly at night, which gives them the name of 

 'Ghost-birds'; it is very lil<e the crying of a child. It is also known to the islanders by the 

 name of ' Mutton-bird.' " 



During November and December, 1S87, this bird was found breeding in great numbers on 

 Mutton-bird Island lying about six miles off the east coast of Lord Howe Island. It also 

 breeds on Goat Island, inside the reef, oft' the western shore. A visit paid to it in October, 

 revealed numerous burrows between the long and coarse grass tussocks, and only a single dried 

 up skin of an adult bird. Like most members of the Procellarid.f, these birds make a burrow 

 in the loose sandy-soil sometimes several feet in length, some being nearly straight, others found 

 at right or acute angles to miss some root or stone, at the end of wliich a single egg is deposited. 

 The late Dr. P. H. Metcalfe, Resident Medical Officer at Norfolk Island, informed me he 

 had often seen eggs placed under the shelter of an overhanging rock. 



Among eggs, which may be collected by the score with ease, it is not a matter of wonder 

 that a great variation is found in shape and size. Typically they are oval, lengthened and swollen, 

 being found in about equal numbers, if anything the former predominating, others are somewhat 

 sharply pointed at the narrower end, while probably the rarest of all forms are much blunted at 

 the smaller end. The eggs are pure white, when first deposited, but soon become soiled and 

 nest-stained as incubation proceeds, the shell being close-grained, dull and lustrous. Four eggs 

 taken by Mr. Jennings on South Solitary Island, lying to the north of Coff's Harbour on the 

 New South Wales coast, measure: — Length (A) 2-4 x i-6 inches; (B) 2-35 x i-5 inches; 

 (C) 2-47 X i'57 inches; (D) 2-45 x 1-63 inches. Three eggs selected from a series taken by 

 Mr. H.S. Grant, on the ist December, 1913, on Mutton-bird Island, Coff's Harbour, measure: — 

 Length {.'\) 2-45 x 1-55 inches; (13)2-55 x 1-65 inches; (C) unusually small, 2-3 x 1-5 inches. 

 An egg taken l>y i\Ir. Chas. G. Gibson, on the 13th November, 1907, on Rat Island, Houtman 

 Abrolhos, Western Australia, measures: — Length 2-47 x 1-45 inches. Specimens talcen by Mr. 

 E. PI. Sanchis, on Mutton-bird Island, in November, 1S87, measure: — Length (A) 2-35 x 1-67 

 inches; (B) 2-45 x i-6 inches; (C) 2-45 x i-68 inches; (D) 2-67 x 1-54 inches. 



Young birds taken from the burrows on Lord Howe Island ep.rly in .April, 189S, are covered 

 with long lilamentous greyish-brown down, being of a more pronounced shade of brown on the 

 lower breast and abdomen ; forehead greyish-brown passing into ashy-brown on the hind neck, 

 back, wings and tail-feathers. Total length 15 inches, wing 7, tail 2-5, bill i'5, tarsus i-8. 



There is a most remarkable skin, taken on Norfolk Island, in the .Australian Museum 

 Collection, presented to the Trustees by the late Dr. Phillip Metcalfe. It has the entire plumage 

 white, with a brownish wash, which is more pronounced on the scapulars, ends of the quills 

 and tail-feathers; the centre of the breast is covered witt) very dull whitish down. Wing 11 

 inches. 



November and December are the months in which the eggs are usually deposited, the young 

 leaving the burrows at the end of March, but young birds in down have been found in the burrows 

 on Mutton-bird Island, off the coast of Lord Howe Island, as late as the end of April. 



