248 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



2.3 in. in length. New Zealand and Australian seas. In New Zealand it 

 is more common in the South Island than in the North. 



It is recorded by j\Ir. Reisehek that the shearwaters come on 

 shore to clean out their burrows or make new ones in September. 

 He states that they dig with their bill, pushing out the soil with 

 their feet ; working all the day, and, after sunset, leaving for the 

 sea. The burrow is about four inches and a half in diameter, and 

 from a foot and a half to three feet long. At the end there is a 

 chamber, about a foot and a half in diameter with leaves on the 

 bottom, on which, in October, the female lays one white egg. She 

 sits during the day, when the male is usually at sea ; and he 

 returns soon after sunset and relieves his mate. This process is 

 continued until the young birds are a few days old, when both 

 parents absent themselves during the day, but return after sunset 

 to feed their young with an oily fluid which they disgorge. The 

 young birds are full grown in March, when they leave their 

 breeding places for the ocean. 



The Dusky Shearwater. 



Puffinus ohscurus. 



Above, slaty black; below, white. Under tail coverts, dark 

 brown tipped with white. Bill brown. Outside of leg and outer toe, 

 black; inner side and other toes, yellow. Length of the wing, 7.8 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 1.5 in. Tropical and sub-tropical seas of the whole world. 

 Eare in New Zealand. 



The Allied Shearwater. 



Puffin us assimilis. 



Above, slaty black; below, white. Under tail coverts, pure white. 

 Bill black. Legs and toes, blackish; the webs, yellow. Length of the 

 wing, 7.4 in.; of the tarsus, 1.5 in. Egg — 1.95 in. in length. Australian 

 and New Zealand seas. In New Zealand it is not found south of Hauraki 

 Gulf. 



The allied shearwater conmiences to breed in October. Its 

 burrow is about four inches in diameter, and from three to four 

 feet long, and generally has two chambers at the end. The egg is 

 laid at the end of October or the beginning of November, and the 

 young birds are full grown in February. 



