543 Messrs. E. L. & E. L. C. Layard on the 



93. Phaethon rubricauda (Gmel.). 



Common on " Huon " or " Surprise " Islands at the north, 

 where it breeds. We have not seen it in the south. 



94. Tachypetes aquilus (Linn.). 



Found all round the island. Said to breed on " Huon " 

 and " Surprise " Islands, but we have not received eggs. 



95. SuLA piscATOR, Linn. 



We have seen several specimens, captured near Noumea. 

 During the hurricane last year (1880) many were driven on 

 shore, and some were cooked and eaten by the French settlers 

 as a kind of " Sea-duck " \ We heard they were found fishy ! 



96. Dysporus SULA (Linn.). 



Also found on " Huon " and " Surprise." On the 26th of 

 July last one accompanied our boat for about a quarter of an 

 hour while sailing into Noumea harbour. 



97. Phalacrocorax melanoleucus (Vieill.). 



M. Marie includes a Cormorant, which he says he got, 

 under this name. 



A Cormorant is not a bird that can be mistaken for any 

 thiug else, so we will not dispute M. Marie^s accuracy, 

 simply stating, however, that we have not seen any thing of 

 the kind in our trips up the coast, nor did it occur to the 

 Expedition whose collection is catalogued by MM. Verreaux 

 and Des Murs. Our wonder is, not that M. Marie procured 

 one, but that thousands are not found ! but, as we have before 

 said of these coasts, all are barren ! 



December 24th. Our young friend, M. Grasset, has just 

 turned up from the north of the island, near " Cap Goulain," 

 where he describes a sea-fowl which he has seen, and which 

 is certainly a Cormorant. He also describes Dendrocygna 

 gouldi and another large Duck, which we fancy is the 

 " Paradise Duck " [Casarca variegata) of New Zealand. He 

 also says he has again seen the " small Parrot " and shot a 

 Hawk with a " dark-blue back and white underparts spotted 

 with red," unlike any thing we have. Unfortunately our 

 young friend cannot skin. 



