410 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



of the vast numbers of birds of this species congregated on a 

 mere vegetated sand-bank like Raine's Islet." 



Audubon, in the fifth volume of his ' Ornithological Bio- 

 graphy,' states that on the Tortugas this species lays three 

 eggs, and not one only as in Australia ; and I may quote the 

 following passage, in confirmation of Mr. Macgillivray, of the 

 immense numbers of these birds which assemble together for 

 the purpose of breeding : — " At Bird Key we found a party 

 of Spanish eggers from Havannah. They had already laid in 

 a cargo of about eight tons of the eggs of the Tern and the 

 Noddy. On asking them how many they supposed they had, 

 they answered that they never counted them, even while 

 selling them, but disposed of them at twenty-five cents per 

 gallon, and that one turn to market sometimes produced 

 upwards of two hundred dollars, while it took only a week to 

 sail backwards and forwards and collect their cargo. Some 

 eggers who now and then come from Key West sell their 

 eggs at twelve and a half cents the dozen. Wherever these 

 eggs are carried they must be disposed of and eaten, for they 

 become putrid in a few weeks." 



The ground-colour of the eggs is a creamy white, in some 

 very pale, in others very rich, blotched all over with irregular- 

 sized markings of chestnut and dark brown, the latter hue 

 appearing as if beneath the surface ; the lighter-coloured eggs 

 have these markings much smaller and more thinly dispersed, 

 except at the larger end ; they are two inches and an eighth 

 long by one inch and a half in breadth. 



The colouring of this species is as follows : — 



Lores, crown of the head, and back of the neck deep black ; 

 all the upper surface, wings, and tail deep sooty black ; the 

 apical half, the shaft, and the outer web of the lateral tail- 

 feathers white ; a V-shaped mark on the forehead and all the 

 under surface of the wings and body white, passing into grey 

 on the lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; 

 irides dark brown ; bill black ; feet brownish black. ,/ 



