536 Transactions. 



Mr. R. S. Bell, of Sunday Islcind, informed me tliat besides the green 

 turtle one or two individuals of another species, probably the hawksbill, 

 have been noticed from the shore. Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S.. 

 mentions a water-snake, which, from the description given him by Mr. 

 T. Bell, he supposes to be PeJamys hicolor (Cheeseman, 1888). 



On several occasions during September, 1908, I observed dolphins in 

 Denham Bay, Sunday Island. Mr. Bell says that the sperm whale has 

 been seen from the north coast of Sunday Island. On one occasion a. 

 portion, about 2 ft. long, of a large cuttlefish was cast up on Loav Flat 

 Beach. This fragment was possibly the remains of an animal which a 

 whale had made a meal from, as it is known that sperm whales kill and 

 eat these gigantic cephalopods. 



The following notes are mainly from material gathered during a ten 

 months' stay on Sunday Island, in 1908, as a member of the scientific 

 expedition which originated with Mr. AV. L. Wallace, of Timaru. 



Chelone mydas. (Green Turtle.) 



A large female specimen of the green turtle was shot by Mr. R. S. Bell 

 off the rocks at the south end of Denham Bay on the 23rd May, 1908. 



Turtles were noticed chiefly during the summer months — January to 

 March — often as many as five or six being seen at one time. An ob- 

 server standing on the shore at a little h.eight can watch them browsing 

 on a species of alga {Pterocladia capillacea), which grows abundantly on 

 rocks in Avater down to about 5 m. in depth. Apparently, whilst in Sunday 

 Island waters turtles eat no other kind of food. Every few minutes the}- 

 come to the surface for a few seconds to breathe, but on the slightest alarm 

 these timid reptiles swim swiftly away. They do not breed in the Ker- 

 madecs. but go north to warmer regions. 



Megaptera hoops. (Hlimpback Whale.) 



A few humpback whales were noticed in Denham Bay in the latter part 

 of August, 1908. During September their numbers increased, while in 

 OctoJjer and November they were common all round Sunday Island ; at 

 Macauley Island also, on 12th November, a large number were seen. They 

 had their calves with them, and probably were migrating southwards. 

 During their northward migration they are not seen from Sunday Island. 



Mus exulans. (Pacific Rat.) 



Specimens of the Pacific rat examined on Sunday Island agree in every 

 particular with those from Funafuti, as described by Mr. E. R. Waite, 

 F.L.S. (1897, p. 174), except that the under-surface, including inside of 

 limbs, is light bixff, or sometimes pale grey ; fur pale grey at base ; uppei- 

 surface of feet light buff, hairs" short ; hairless parts of feet pink. 



Skulls of Sunday Island examples appear to be proportionately more 

 slender than the skull of the Funafuti specimen. The zygomatic arch is 

 less prominent, thus giving a smaller breadth, whilst the nasai bones are 

 narrower. These differences are apparent in the table of measurements 

 given below, where the corresponding figures recorded by Mr. Waite for 

 the Funafuti specimen are given for comparison. 



Of thirty-four specimens of rats from Sunday Island of which I have 

 measurements, I select the ten largest of each sex as best showing the size 

 ■of full-grown individuals : — 



