THE KERMADEC ISLAND MUTTON BIRD 



259 



These are as follows : — Variety A {leucophrijs) , the lower surface, 

 and often the head, white. Variety B {neglect a) , the lower 

 snrf ace white, except a band of brown on the breast ; head brown. 

 Variety C {pltili'ppi), the lower surface brown, like the upper. 

 A is the winter nuitton bird of the settlers. It breeds principally 

 upon Meyer Island. In regard to the time of the arrival of the 

 old birds Mr. T. F. Cheeseman says that he found nearly full 

 grown fledglings in August sitting at the roots of trees. The 



Kennadec Island Mutton Bird. 



other two varieties, known as the true mutton bird, arrive in great 

 numbers at the end of August and September, and breed chiefly 

 on Sunday Island. Captain Bollons informs us that members 

 of Variety B commence to breed rather earlier than the others, 

 and that they make their nests inland, on little ridges ; while 

 Variety C always breeds on the edge of the sea-clitfs. It seems 

 probable that we have here a very interesting example of the 

 evolution of new^ species by isolation, due to alterations in the 

 time of breeding of certain individuals. 



