48 OLINER. nirds of Little Barrier Island. TisfS" 



I'rocellaria parkinsoni. Black Petrel. — The Black Petrel breeds in 

 larjre numbers on the higher ridjjes of Little Barrier Island. It lays 

 a single e{?K at the end of a burrow two or three feet long. In late 

 February many burrows were noticed high up on the hills, but I did 

 not see anything of the birds. Reischek records these birds cleaning 

 out their old burrows in November. The first egg was found on 28th 

 November, after which several eggs were found with the female 

 always sitting. § 



Pterodroma macroptera. Great-winged Petrel (North Island Mut- 

 ton Bird).- — ^This species is common in Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of 

 Plenty, breeding on many of the islands. It usually makes its bur- 

 rows just at the top of sea cliffs. In March I found many burrows 

 on the scuth coast of Little Barrier Island. Reischek found this 

 species breeding, and records that a single egg is laid in each burrow 

 in September. 



Pterodroma (Cookilaria) cooki. Cook Petrel. — This is by far the 

 most abundant of the Petrels breeding on Little Barrier Island. Every- 

 where on the hillsides and ridges about midway between sea coast 

 and summit their burrows are to be found. Reischek, who gives an 

 account of their breeding habits, J found eggs in November. Judging 

 from what I saw of the remains of birds killed by cats, they were fully 

 fledged by the end of February. A considerable number !iiust be 

 killed by cats, as birds with breasts and heads eaten were encountered 

 in various parts of the bush. I collected several skulls, wings and 

 feet, and from these am able to identify the species. 



Puffinus carneipes. PTeshy-footed (Pink-footed) Shearwater. — This 

 appears to be the northern representative in New Zealand of the 

 Sombe Petrel ( P. grisctts). Authentic records include the seas from 

 the Bay of Plenty, where it breeds on Karewa Island, to the vicinity 

 of the Three Kings. 



I*uflinus assimilis. Allied Petrel (Sheai-water). — Two small species 

 of Puffinus occur in New Zealand waters^the present species and 

 P. gavia, which is somewhat larger. At all times of the year 

 one or both species are to be seen flying near the surface of the sea 

 off the northern coasts, but he would be an e.\pert who would dis- 

 tinguish the species on the wing. P. assimilis was found breeding 

 at high elevations on the northei'n portion of Little Barrier Island 

 by Reischek."'* Birds collected by Reischek have been examined by 

 Iredale and the identification confirmed, tt 



Puflinis gavia. Brown Petrel (Fluttering Shearwater). — I did not 

 see the Brown Petrel, but as it was taken on Little Barrier Island by 

 Reischek* it must be included in the list as breeding on the island. 

 This species has been named Puffinus rciii/iolcli.f and, later, Rvinholdia 

 reinlioldi% by Mathews on the grounds that Forster's description of 

 P. gavia applies to P. assimilis and that specimens of the latter species 

 have been examined from near Queen Charlotte Sound, the type locality 

 of Forster's P. gavia. I have recently examined live specimens of 

 the Brown Petrel from near Durville Island. In the flesh they are 

 much darker than dried skins and F'orster's description "supra coei-u- 

 lescenti-nigra" is not very far from the truth, so that Mathews' argu- 



Macronectes giganteu.s. Nelly (Giant Petrel). — This species may 

 occasionally be obtained off shore in Hauraki Gulf. 



X Buller. "Birds N.Z.." Ed. 2, vol. 2, p. 210, 1888. 



§ Reischek, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 18, p. 88, 1886. 



II Reischek, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 18, p. 92, 1886. 



*♦ Buller, "Bird.s, N.Z." ed. ii., vol. 2, p. 239, 1888. 



tt Iredale, "Aust. Av. Rec," vol. 2, p. 19. 



*Trans. N.Z. List, vol. 18, p. 9.'}, 1886. 



tBirds of Australia, vol. 2, p. 74, 1912. 



JAustral Avian Record, vol. 1, p. 107, 1912. 



