278 Mr. F. G. Penrose on a Collection of 



sion itself there are three " fairs/^ marked on the map 

 (p. 275) and numbered according to their size. The first is by 

 far the most important, and probably contains at least twice 

 the number of birds of all the others put together. They 

 begin to breed first at No. III., which is the least disturbed; 

 but the others soon present a scene of great excitement. 

 The fair No. I. was at just about its full height at the 

 end of December, and had been going on for about six weeks 

 before that. The first appearance of these birds in 1877 was 

 during the first week in October ; and they continued to ar- 

 rive daily for about two months. Their annual coming is 

 said to be somewhat irregular ; and they are stated to breed 

 three times in two years, concerning which Mr. H. Saunders 

 has kindly allowed me to make the following extract from a 

 letter to him from Mr. Unwin, dated September 5, 1876 : — 



" The ' Wideawake •* visits this island at, and remains for, 

 very uncertain intervals, not every eight tnonths; of this I 

 am very certain, from nearly four years' experience. Were 

 not their eggs used so largely for food in this barren place, 

 one could form some idea as to the length of time nature in- 

 tended them to remain. I may, of course, be ' miles out ' 

 in my opinion ; but I fancy that^ were it possible to take away 

 the eggs immediately they are laid, the birds would not leave 

 for a very considerable period. Last year they remained 

 months longer than usual, owing to a very unusual downpour 

 of rain, which flooded their breeding-ground and killed thou- 

 sands of young birds. They left about May and were back 

 in August. It seems to me that no matter how often an 

 egg is taken, another is laid, and the old birds still persevere 

 in trying to rear a young one.''' 



They have a considerable settlement on the top of Boatswain- 

 bird Island ; but the numbers are insignificant when compared 

 with even that of the smallest fair. Each bird normally lays 

 only one egg; but when constantly plundered the same bird 

 lays several times ; and those who collect get, in a good morn- 

 ing's work, about 200 dozen eggs. This fairly shows the 

 number of birds and their closeness together. The eggs are 

 said not to be so good as Plovers' eggs, having a slight fishy 



