Avifauna of Neiv Caledonia. 539 



to show. Bill, legs, and feet black, the webs on the latter 

 between the toes buiF. On the 20th of September the Pere 

 sent us a bird about twice the age of the preceding, with 

 the wing-primaries just showing. Above it was sooty grey, 

 including the throat and chest, the rest of the underparts 

 white. Bill black, tip of lower mandible white ; feet and 

 legs pale flesh-colour, with a black patch commencing half- 

 way up the outside edge of tarsus and extending downwards, 

 over the joint, to the centre and exterior toes as far as the first 

 joint, then across the whole foot, including the web. 



The eggs of this species are white, but more or less stained 

 by the yellow clay of the hole in which they are laid. Axis 

 2", diam. 1" 6'". 



81. CESTRELATA MOLLIS (Gould) . 



Breeds in great numbers about the summit of Mont Mou, 

 in burrows. The birds and eggs were obtained by Mr. At- 

 kinson on 10th February, 1882, the latter all nearly ready 

 for exclusion, and dirty white, red-stained with earth, rather 

 pointed at one end, not oval : axis 2" 1'", diam. 1" 6'". Only 

 one e^g in each nest. Mr. Atkinson heard the birds calling 

 as they passed high overhead at night. They are never 

 seen over the land by day. 



82. Adamastor cinereus (Gmel.). 



We possess a single specimen, procured off the coast, be- 

 tween Noumea and Australia. 



83. PuFFiNUs BREVicAUDUs, Brandt. 



We are indebted to Capt. North, of the schooner ' Effie 

 Meikle,' for a specimen of this bird, which he captured on 

 the water in Neketti Bay, on the east side of the island, and 

 brought to us alive. Also to him we owe the acquisition of 



84. OCEANITES WILSONI, Bp. 



which he shot in the Havanica pass on the same coast, and 

 brought to us in the flesh. We have seen other small Petrels 

 off the coasts of the island which we have not procured, though 

 we think we have rightly identified them, as we have paid 

 much attention to sea -fowl in our varied wanderings, and 

 know them pretty well by sight. 



