112 



FERGUSON, Notes on Australian Tubi 



The Emu 

 1st Oct. 



Zealand, or on the New Zealand sub- Antarctic Islands, and two 

 probably do so also, though these last might ha\e better been 

 jjlaced under the heading of species breeding in the South Indian 

 Dcean. One species is listed as breeding on Lord Howe Island, 

 two as breeding within the Antarctic Circle, six on islands in the 

 South Indian Ocean, and of three the breeding place is unknown. 

 Of tile six species of which the records are unsatisfactory, four 

 breed on one or other of the sub-Antarctic Islands, one on Lord 

 Howe Island, while of one the breeding place is unknown. Com- 

 parison of the sub-species shows that in eight cases the Austra- 

 lian sub-species dithers from that of the nearest known breeding 

 sub-species; in three of these cases two Australian sub-species 

 are described. In three other instances, where the breerling sub- 

 species is recorded, one or two additional sub-species are described 

 from Australia. 



It is not my purpose here to discuss the validity of these sub- 

 specilic distinctions, some of which have been made on single 

 specimens. If these sub-species are. however, recognisable, it 

 means that a good many breeding grounds yet remain to be dis- 

 covered, not necessarily in Australia, nor likely to be so in cases 

 where only a single occurrence is recorded. Much more work 

 requires to be done before even the names of our Australian 

 Petrels can be regarded as settled, while the investigation of their 

 breeding habits remains to a great extent untouched. 



Table showing nearest known breeding areas of visit'ng Aus- 

 tralian Petrels : — 



A. Breeding in Xew Zealand, or on Stsb-Antarctic Islands- 



Species. 



Garrodia nereis 

 Proccllaria parkin soni 

 Rcinholdia rcinholdi 

 {PufUnus fiaz'ia ) 



Ptcrodronia incxpectota 

 Ptcrodrouia Icssoui 

 Macroncctcs qi (/an tens 



Prion vittata 



Dioinedea exnlaus 

 Dioniedca nt'elanophrys 



Sub-species 

 Breeding. 



\rei)ilioldi\ 

 \hutioni\ 

 ( Snares ) 

 \incxpcctata'\ 

 ? australis 

 \albns\ 

 I u-ilso)ii\ 

 ( Macquarie Is.) 

 rittata 



rothsehildi 

 i)nparida 



Australian 

 Sub-species. 



b\roni 



tlionipsoni 



australis 



dozri 



rittata 



(/ouldi 



niissa 



rothsehildi 



nestralis 



iinpazida 



