1919-] Obituary. 537 



uie from visiting the locality in subsequent years. After a 

 long interval, on 26 Novemlier, 1895, I found such another 

 breeding-haunt only little more than a mile from the 

 Yngleses head-station, where the associates of the Spoonbill 

 this time were the White Egret {Ardea egretta Gm.) and 

 the Dark Night-Heron (Nycticora.v ohscurus Bp.) — see 

 account under these species. The Spoonbills were in a 

 majority and might be numbered at from Hve hundred to 

 a thousand pairs. Their eggs were all fresh (or nearly so), 

 whilst the other two species were hatched out. The Spoon- 

 bills' nests were very close together, sometimes hardly a yard 

 apart ; otherwise, similar in material and construction to 

 those of the Cisneros colony. After nesting the two fol- 

 lowing years, this colony passed out of existence. 



I have taken one clutch of five eggs, but the usual number 

 is three or four ; these are of a very irregular shape, but 

 generally elongated. The ground-colour is a dirty white, 

 with rusty-red markings and (occasionally) some violaceous 

 blotches. As a rule, these are evenly distributed all over 

 the eggs, and only in some cases increase towards the 

 larger end. 



Whilst the average measurement is 65x43 mm., indi- 

 vidual specimens may vary from 70 to 61 mm. on the long 

 axis and 46 to 41 mm. in diameter. 



[To be continued.] 



'KXN I. — Obituary. 



John Chambers ^McLean. 

 We learn with deep regret that Mr. J. C. ]\rcLeau of 

 Waiamu was accidentally di'owned when crossing a river 

 near his home in the Poverty Bay district of the Northern 

 Island of New Zealand in December last. The river was in 

 flood and he was washed off his horse by the strong current, 

 and the mackintosh he was wearing catching in a snag under 

 the water, he was unable to free himself though a verv good 

 swimmer. 



