202 Mr. R. Hall on Birds 



The day of the vast flocks referred to by Gilbert in Gould's 

 ' Handbook ' is past. When guano-workers cease to frequent 

 the islands, and the introduced cats allow the lizards alone 

 to work havoc there, the former state of aftairs may return. 



66. MiCRANous TENUiRosTRis. Lcsscr Noddy. (Hall's 

 Key, p. 89.) 



A, B. Sk. ad. :^ . 17.10.99. Long Island, Pelsart Group, 

 Houtman's Abrolhos. 



C, D. Nestlings. 27.10.99. Long Island, Pelsart Group, 

 Houtman's Abrolhos. 



On Long Island were two small mangrove-swamps, one 

 with many old nests and a few birds sitting upon eggs, the 

 other containing those of the birds fully engaged in the 

 task of incubation. There were approximately a hundred 

 nests, each containing a fairly fresh e^^^, on the 17th of 

 October. On the 27th two of the nests contained young 

 some three days old. 



Desa'ijdion of nestling. — The young at once assumes a 

 likeness to the parent : the edges of the upper and lower 

 eyelids are bordered by a line of white down ; the under 

 wing is whitish; the forehead, nape, and crown are covered 

 with clear greyish-white down, the cheeks being less 

 distinctly white; the bill and eyes are black; the nail of 

 the bill is pure white ; the legs and feet are brownish black. 



In the adult skins secured, the third and fourth primaries 

 (from the outside) give equal measurements. 



Nest. — The material from which to choose for a nest is 

 limited, consisting only of a few land-weeds (salt-bush or 

 occasional herb) and a marine weed or two. The former 

 would not suit the manner in which the loose material is 

 placed, hanging from so poor a support — a basis that is not 

 broad enough to hold stems that are not interwoven. As 

 the bird does not care to adopt the practice of nesting on the 

 ground, it is scarcely optional to use aught but seaweed, to 

 withstand the wind. Rhodophycea are chosen from the 

 beach, and, being fascicular, they hold together when placed 

 on an irregular fork. How the season affects the gathering 



