422 On Birds found Nesting on Albatross Island. 



The parent birds were very tame, allowing one in some 

 instances to approach within two feet of them before they 

 made any attempt to fly. 



8. CoRvus coRONoiDES. {White-cycd Crow.) 



A pair of these birds was noticed, and I saw one eating a 

 Prion ; the poor little bird was in a dreadfully mutilated con- 

 dition, but still alive, when the Crow was driven off. These 

 crows are very destructive to young and eggs on these islands. 

 On the Penguin Rocks, not far from Albatross Island, I 

 found a Crow's nest on December 2nd, built on a ledge of 

 rock, with two young birds in it, just ready to fly. The nest 

 was a large one and built of sticks. The abseuce of trees 

 evidently made them choose this curious nesting-place. 



9. Falco melanogenys. {Black-cheeked Falcon.) 



One pair of these birds was seen and their nesting-place was 

 discovered in a sheltered recess of a ledge of rock on the side 

 of a cliff. They do not seem to make any nest, but lay their 

 two eggs on the bare ground. One addled egg was found ; it 

 had unusually light brown markings and measured 2*09 inches 

 X 1"65. A young bird was noticed flying about with the 

 parents — evidently only one of the clutch had been hatched. 

 Scattered about the nesting-place were remains of various 

 Prions, which seem to be the principal food of the Falcons 

 here. Most of the high rocky islands near were tenanted 

 by a pair of these birds. 



10. Demiegretta sacra. {Reef-Heron.) 



I found the stick nest of these birds on Penguin Rocks. 

 It was situated about fifty feet above the sea, on a broad 

 ledge of rock in a cavity under a large block of stone, and 

 was difficult to get at. A blue-coloured bird was flushed off 

 the nest, but its mate was not seen. The nest contained 

 four fresh eggs, of a delicate bluish-white colour : their 

 measurements were: — (1) I'SSx r41 inches; (2)l-82xr40; 

 (3) 1-81 X 1-38; (4) 1-87 X 1-39. 



I was informed by those who live near these islands that 

 the White and the Blue Reef-Herons often intermix, and that 



