Avifauna of Neio Caledonia. 541 



It is not common on our coasts, but we think pays us 

 periodical visits for breeding-purposes. We copy the follow- 

 ing from our notes : — 



" Sept. 3rd, 1877. Found breeding by L. L. on the islands 

 off Ansevata. Three nests, each containing two eggs ; one 

 pair hard-set, the next a little less, the next fresh. Ground- 

 colour greyish creamy white, spotted throughout with indis- 

 tinct light purple spots and blotches, interspersed with dark 

 brown-purple spots, having a tendency to form a ring, or be 

 denser, at the greatest diameter of the egg. Eggs vary in 

 size, even in the same nest, but average, axis 1" 4", diam. 1".^^ 

 Another note says, " Male shot, sitting on e^^, at Ansevata, 

 Nov. 3rd, 1877." 



We saw a flock o£ about twenty on the 1st November, 1881, 

 while returning from Moindou in the steamer, about ten 

 miles to the north of Noumea. 



In this species the bill is of a raw sienna-yellow, except for 

 about a quarter of an inch at the tip, which is black, as if it 

 had been dipped into the inkstand ! Feet and legs coloured as 

 bill, with the claws black, joints dusky. Iris dark brown. 

 Feeds on minute Crustacea (sand-shrimps) and small fish. 



90. Haliplana puliginosa (Gmel.). 



Frequents the sea-coast, but is not often seen. Several 

 were brought to us after the hurricane, picked up dead (and 

 unfortunately putrid and unskinnable !) in the neighbourhood 

 of the town of Noumea. Included by M. Marie in his list, 

 but not procured. What his 



91. Thalasseus pelecanoides (King), 



which he says he did secure, may be we do not know. 



92. Phaethon candidus, Briss. 



Is included by MM. Verreaux and Des Murs in the ' Revue 

 Zoologique ' as being in the collection of the Expedition ; but 

 though we have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of the red 

 tail-feathers of the next species, obtained on Huon Island, 

 we have never seen a single white feather from this species. 

 Curiously enough, the red-tailed one is omitted from their 

 list. 



