Vol. XIII. 



191 



1 Oliver, Bird-Life on White Island (N .Z.) 8q 



found them to consist mostly of small garfish. In some, 

 however, there were other kinds of fishes and squids. Though 

 Gannets are usually silent, when their breeding colony is 

 approached they frequently rise in a body, uttering cries all the 

 time. The whole colony rises in a similar way when the wind 

 carries the poisonous fumes from th? crater among the sitting 

 birds. The fact that the prevailing winds in the Bay of Plenty 

 are from the west and south-west, thus carrying the fumes in a 

 north-easterly direction, no doubt explains why the bulk of the 

 vegetation and all the Gannet colonies on White Island are on 

 the west and south coasts. 



Another and larger colony of Gannets which I visited (8th 

 December) contained mostly young birds just hatched, though 

 there were fresh eggs and large chicks covered with white down. 

 The breeding season, therefore, extends over many months, but 

 most of the eggs are laid about the beginning of November. 

 Seaweed was noticed as lining to a large number of nests in this 

 colony. Unlike the birds visited on the previous day, these 

 (iannets did not take much notice of me, and I was enablecl to take 

 photographs at close quarters. Indeed, if not careful, one might 

 receive painful wounds from their large, pointed bills. 



Larus scopulinus (Red-billed Gull). 



The common Mackerel Gull of New Zealand breeds on the east 

 point and north coast of White Island. On the east point their 

 nests are placed among rocks and slopes covered with tussock- 

 grass {Poa anceps). The nest is small, being composed merely 

 of a few stalks of Mesemhryanthemum, and perhaps lined with 

 grass. Several nests, each containing two eggs, apparently 

 freshly laid, were seen. On the north coast a small colony breeds 

 on a rocky point. Here were seen nests with eggs, young birds 

 just hatched, and others almost fully fledged. The newly- 

 hatched birds were covered with down of a creamy-white colour, 

 with black spots. At my approach most of the young endeavoured 

 to hide in rock crevices, and one took to the water, swimming out 

 some distance. 



(Estrelata macroptera (Great-winged Petrel). 



This is the " Mutton-Bird " of the Auckland district, the term 

 being loosely applied to any of the Petrels or Shearwaters which 

 are used for food. White Island, being 35 miles from the main- 

 land, is seldom visited for its birds : but while I was there a 

 number was collected by some Maoris, who had come over from 

 Opotiki for the day. The burrows are found in all the patches 

 of vegetation round the coast of the island. As is usual in such 

 colonies, the ground is practically undermined, and one's foot 

 may sink suddenly at any step. The single egg is probably laid 

 in August. At the time of my visit each burrow contained a 

 nearly fully-fledged young bird, which fought vigorously on being 

 In-ought to the surface. 



