Mr. E. Newton's Omit hu logical Notes from Mauritius. 181 



that had started in Hfe on its own account, though I have no 

 doubt many had ah-eady done so. Most of the eggs had been 

 incubated some time ; in fact, on blowing fifty or so of them, I 

 hardly think that I found half a dozen fresh, the majority being 

 within a few days of hatching. I was rather short of baskets 

 for carrying eggs, and consequently I did not get as many as I 

 might have done. Certainly I had been told that the eggs 

 might be picked up by the thousand, but I had not believed the 

 statement. This species is much finer and larger than the Yel- 

 low-billed one (P. flavirosiris, Brandt). Of this there were a few 

 about the island ; but I did not find a single egg, or see a bird on 

 the ground. When on the wing, the fine rosy colour suffused 

 over the whole under surface of the Red-tailed species comes 

 out very well. 



On the north-east of the island, where there is more of a cliff" 

 than anywhere else, is a tolerably large colony of Petrels (perhaps 

 the Puffinus chlororhynchus of Lesson), called ' Fous' — dark- 

 brown birds about the size of Puffinus anglorum, with yellowish - 

 white legs and feet. I dare say they are spread over the 

 greater part of the island, but there are more at this one spot 

 than any other. They are as tame as the Pailles-en-queue, but 

 not so harmless. They breed under stones, and bite most 

 awfully if they get a chance. The only way to get them out 

 and take their single egg — for they, too, lay but one — is to 

 contrive to turn them round so that one can grab their folded 

 wings and tail. If dropped on the ground they will run about, 

 and for some time will not try to fly ; but if thrown into the 

 air, they will glide down gently towards the sea. On going 

 near any rock where there may be a dozen or two, one bird 

 seems to give the alarm, and a chorus of the most extraordinary 

 sounds immediately proceeds from under ground. I hardly know 

 what to compare it to, as there is nothing like it except, perhaps, 

 the noise made by cats when they set up their backs and squall ; 

 and though there may not be a thousand, as the imagina- 

 tive boy in the story averred, yet " father's old Tom and the 

 neighbour's dead 'un" could never make the row these few birds 

 do. It is kept up for a minute or two, and increases when the 

 individuals are hauled out in the manner above described. All 



