18 Mr. E. Hall on the 



and rested upon the sea. At tliis time of year "billing" is 

 the order of the day, and this is a strong characteristic of the 

 Albatrosses of these Avaters. There is a bond of sympathy 

 between the birds, judging from the fact that one wounded 

 in the wing by ns in the harbour had swum round to the 

 rookery (about three miles), and was there found resting 

 upon the water, unable to fly. The others left it when we 

 approached. 



Thalassogeron chlororhynchus (Gm.) ; Salvin, Cat. B. 

 XXV. p. 451. 



Of the Yellow-nosed Albatross I saw no nests ; but birds 

 were observed near the entrance to the harbour of our last 

 anchorage (Fuller's). Suitable lofty islets were near this 

 coast, and the birds in adult plumage would probably be 

 breeding there, or on the cliifs to the southward of Christmas 

 Harbour. This species makes an addition to the list of 

 Kerguelen birds. 



Ph(Ebetria ruLiGiNOSA (Gm.); Salvin, Cat. B.xxv. p. 453. 



In its adult stage the Sooty Albatross is well known to 

 naturalists. Its habits upon the hills at the time of nidifica- 

 tion require no particular mention. A trumpet-like screech 

 and cat-like noise seem to be the vocabulary of this bird, 

 as it wends its curving flight along the face of the cliff's, in 

 the lower parts of which it places its nest. January 5th saw 

 me investigating three nests on Murray Island in lloyal 

 Sound. Two were within three feet of each other, Avhile the 

 third was several hundred yards aw^ay, but all were placed 

 under ledges of rocks some 300 feet high and facing the sea. 

 The first nest contained an egg which was undoubtedly 

 addled, as I became aware when blowing it, and so were the 

 other persons in the cabin ; yet upon this egg the bird still 

 sat. Two nests placed together contained, respectively, a 

 young bird a few days old, and an egg with an almost 

 matured embryo. This egg I took, and five days later I 

 annexed the young of the other nest. All this time the egg- 

 nest was still being sat upon by the Sooty Albatross. The 

 young one, when left by its parent, stood up to assert its 



