254 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke on the 



"Petrels." Indeed, one species of Albatros (Thalassogeron 

 eximius) has not been obtained elsewhere. 



The only previous contribution to our knowledge of the 

 avifauna of the island is, I believe, contained in a com- 

 munication by Mr. G. E. Yerrill to the ' Transactions of 

 the Connecticut Academy/ based upon the collections and 

 experiences of Mr. George Comer. Mr. Comer resided on 

 Gough Island from the 22nd of August, 1888, until the 

 2.3rd of January, 1889, and was engaged, along with others, 

 in the capture of seals. During this period he got together 

 a very creditable ornithological collection, and among his 

 specimens were two birds which proved to be new to science, 

 namely, the flightless Gallinule (Porphyriornis comeri) and 

 an Albatros {Thalassogeron eximius). Mr. Comer's notes 

 arc of considerable interest, and I have not hesitated to 

 make use of them where desirable. I have also included 

 the names of the very few species observed by him of which 

 examples were not obtained or noted by Mr. Bruce and his 

 colleagues, in order to render my account of the avifauna of 

 this most interesting and little-known isle as complete as 

 possible : these are given within square brackets. 



The date of the visit of the ' Scotia ' to the island was not 

 the best for ornithological work, April being mid-autumn in 

 the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, too, the state of 

 the weather did not permit of more than a few hours being 

 spent ashore, and even then the party could not proceed far 

 inland, owing to the uncertainty of the prevailing meteoro- 

 logical conditions. Under these circumstances the members 

 of the Expedition are to be congratulated upon having 

 accomplished so much good work. 



The colours of the bills and feet, when given, are taken 

 from a scries of carefully prepared drawings made at the 

 time of capture of the various birds by Mr. Cuthbertson, 

 the artist to the Expedition. 



The few species in the following list the identification 

 of which I consider doubtful are not numbered. 



I have to thank Mr. W. P. Pycraft for having most 

 obligingly examined certain material submitted to him, and 

 for giving me his valuable opinion thereon. 



