Birds ofGough Island. 267 



21. Phcebetria fuliginosa (Gmelin). 



A typical specimen of the Sooty Albatros is in the collec- 

 tion, and many others were seen, with lesser numbers of 

 Hutton's Albatros (P. cornicoides) , around the l Scotia ' as 

 she lay off the island. 



Mr. Comer (Verrill, /. c. pp. 445 & 464) describes the 

 species breeding at Gough Island as having the beak dark 

 with "a yellow stripe on each side/' It is common but does 

 not breed in " rookeries " ; it places its nests separately on 

 cliffs or projecting rocks, where it is most difficult to get at 

 them. The bird commences to lay by the middle of Sep- 

 tember, and, while sitting, keeps up a continual cry similar 

 to that of a young goat. 



This is probably the form which also nests at Tristan da 

 Cunha, for Capt. Carmichael (t. c. p. 489) alludes to the 

 bird as the " Black " Albatros (Diomedea fuliginosa) and 

 describes its breeding-habits. 



22. Phozbetria cornicoides Hutton. 



I think that there can be little doubt of this being a 

 distinct species. It was only imperfectly described by Capt. 

 Hutton ( f Ibis/ 1867, p. 192), from specimens observed at 

 sea, and as a variety of P. fuliginosa. 



In a letter dated January 4th, 1905, Capt. Hutton tells 

 me that this form has the " back and breast grey, head and 

 neck sooty brown," and that his statement about the mark 

 on the mandible being white was an error. As we now know, 

 this mandibular stripe is pale blue and much smaller than 

 in P. fuliginosa. 



Salviu (t. c. p. 454) says, " if these birds can be traced to 

 a definite breeding-place where they alone are found, it 

 would be well to assign them specific rank." This 

 Capt. Hutton has done, for he tells me that it is the 

 common form in New Zealand, and " breeds at the 

 Auckland Islands and Antipodes at the end of October," 

 but that he does not recollect ever having seen the sooty 

 form in New Zealand. That P. fuliginosa alone, so far as 

 our present information goes, breeds at Gough Island and 



