172 Macgillivrav, Notes on Sea-Bircls. [isf "j"n 



back and under surface l:)eing pale brown ; in some tlie tail even 

 was light grey. Only one or two of the uniform sooty-black 

 birds {P. fusca) were seen. The white round the back of the eye 

 is a conspicuous feature in both kinds, and the light grey plumage 

 of P. palpebrata intensifies the blackish head. In the afternoon 

 the dark Sooties (P. fusca) predominated. Several Yellow-billed 

 Albatrosses {T. chrysostoma) have been about. They also vary 

 in colouring. All have the upper surface of the wings and back 

 dark brown and black, the under surface of the wings either all 

 dark or dark with a median white space, as in the Black-browed 

 MoUymawk {T. melanophrys). The head and neck are grey down 

 to black of back and round to the front ; rump white. In some 

 the grey is lighter on the head and on the upper surface of the 

 neck only, or continued as a ring round the sides of the neck. 

 The bill is black, with culmen yellow to the tip. One also had a 

 good deal of yellow along the lower border of the mandible. A few 

 Black-browed Albatrosses [T. melanophrys) were about again. 

 Wandering Albatrosses {D. exttlans) were again in numbers, from 

 all-dark wings to very light ones. A few Giant Petrels {Macro- 

 nectes giganteus) were noted this evening. Brown Petrels (P. 

 cinereus) were still in fair numbers, following the ship or scouting 

 over the sea. A black Petrel (sp. ?), about the same size as P. 

 cinereus), was fairly frequent. Numbers of Prions (sp. ?) still 

 searching th'e surface of the sea. The nearest point to St. Paul's 

 was passed during the night. At noon, lat. 40° 42' S., long. 80° 

 53' E. 



15th June. — A fresh S.W. wind, moderate sea. Several Sooty 

 Albatrosses (P. fusca and P. palpebrata) w^ere following the ship 

 from early morning ; there were more grey ones than all sooty 

 birds, but they vary a lot in colour. No Giant Petrels were seen 

 to-day. No Black-browed Mollymawks {T. melanophrys) were 

 seen. Two Flat-billed Mollymawks {T. chrysostoma), with grey 

 head and neck, were noted. Brown Petrels (P. cinereus) were 

 fewer in numbers ; noted diving for food. Prions (sp. ?) were 

 very numerous ; they seemed to be a smaller species than the one 

 nearer Cape Town. Black Petrels (sp. ?) were fairly numerous ; 

 smaller than P. cinereus, but with narrow^er wings. At noon, lat. 

 42° 49' S., long. 87° 20' E. 



i6th June. — Not many birds early in the day, but later in the 

 day a fair number came about the ship or passed by. Only a 

 few Wandering Albatrosses {D. exulans) were seen at intervals. 

 Sooties (P. fusca and P. palpebrata) were more numerous than 

 any other species of Albatross, both sooty-black and greyish birds 

 in equal numbers. Several Black-browed Mollymawks {T. 

 melanophrys) were about the ship again. Two or three grey- 

 necked birds (P. chrysostoma) were seen. One or two Giant 

 Petrels {Macronectes gigantetis) were seen following for a short 

 while. A fair number of Cape Petrels {PetreUa capensis) were 

 noted throughout the day. Always a few Brown Petrels {Priofinus 

 cinereus) were about, but they were getting fewer in numbers. 

 Another Petrel, the ^^'hite-headed Petrel {(Esirclata lessoni) was 



