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another in the course of about ten days, but this has not yet been

finally proved. We were enabled to visit a rookery just at dusk

and to witness the wonderful incoming of the birds — a never-

ending source of interest and wonder. How the birds, as they

fly swiftly in in the semi-darkness, are able to pick out their

right burrow from so many thousands of other burrows,

apparently almost identical, is a matter of wonder, and so far it

has completely puzzled us. It is a fascinating sight seeing so

many thousands and thousands of birds whirling round over

one, but mostly flying low; and then, as the new arrivals enter

their burrows, they are welcomed by their mates with extra¬

ordinary kinds of sounds which, coming from the earth, seem

to make them all the more weird. The birds leave again at early

dawn. Apparently their object in coming in during the dusk is

to escape the attacks of the birds of prey, which during the day

keep a fatherly eye on any stray birds they may find on the

land, especially the Ravens. These birds hunt over the islands,

and any egg they find on the surface or in a shallow hole is soon

disposed of, and any Mutton-bird or smaller Petrel they find

near the surface and within view as it sits in its burrow they at

once pounce upon, and, after a hard tussle, generally end in

dragging the unfortunate Petrel out and eating it; consequently

those birds that nest in deep holes fare best, and the tendency

naturally is that those who make deep burrows survive, and those

who make shallow ones run a great risk of not surviving, as

flocks of Ravens, Co?one australis, are to be found in all these

islands. The young birds are taken in March and April, either

out of their burrows, or caught when they are on their way to the

sea. They are then plucked, cleaned, and salted down in casks,

and every islander, and others also, have a busy time of it while

the “ birdiug,” as they call it, lasts. It is estimated that about

600,000 young birds are yearly taken for food, yet, although such

an enormous number is captured, they do not seem to diminish

to any appreciable extent, which shows that a great number of

young birds escape every year. Some rookeries are diminishing,

but I think that is more due to cattle being allowed to wander

over them and break in the holes, even when the birds are

nesting, as it is apt to drive the birds to other places were they

are less disturbed.”


Among tlie recent additions to the Zoological .Society’s collection,

is a fine specimen of the Greater Bird of Paradise (Puradisea apodaj from

the Arrow Islands.



