Vol. XIII. 

 1914 



] Fields for Work. H5 



the Union during their visit last year. I allude to the study of 

 Petrels, with its many difificulties. This year some of the best 

 results are being recorded by the different workers on Petrels, 

 the Mawson Expedition in particular. Upon this and Godman's 

 monograph all new workers will have a good foundation. We 

 need to link Australia, Antarctica, and New Zealand, and the 

 work of Mr. Hamilton on the Macquarie Islands will be a strong 

 addition to our knowledge of pelagic birds. Then will follow the 

 relation of the same species of the sub- Antarctic islands * on the 

 east to Kerguelen, Heard and St. Paul on the west. When these 

 data have been placed before us by the more fortunate voyagers 

 still further relationships will follow — viz., those of the Weddell 

 Sea and Gough Island t and of the North Atlantic visitors. 



A series of maps showing the geographical distribution of the 

 Penguins and Gulls, as well as that of the Petrel-like birds, in the 

 south, would make a fascinating study. The family of Albatrosses, 

 with its distribution shown in colour, would surely prove to be a 

 fine teaching factor. This would further develop an interest 

 along lines laid down by the Union. The present drawbacks to 

 map-making will be partly removed if the Mawson Expedition 

 has been fortunate enough with opportunities. 



Difficulties are evident even with a family of such large birds 

 as the Diomedeidce in the recognition of species when the species 

 themselves are so ill-defined. Take, for example, a skin from 

 the waters of Macquarie Island that recently came under my 

 notice : — 



Cross bars on mantle and back agreeing with D. exulans ; wing 

 coverts of Godman's figure % of D. regia being more strongly freckled 

 than in this specimen, making it more like the wing of D. ohionoptera 

 than that of D. exulans. 



In the same way we are troubled with the distribution of 

 Pelecanoides. At present the data on these httle Diving-Petrels 

 are too meagre. Many valuable notes and skins are expected 

 from Macquarie Island, which will help us to know the distribution 

 of this genus. P. nrinatrix has been located on the Macquaries, 

 Aucklands, and South America ; P. exsul on New Zealand, 

 Kerguelen, and Crozet waters. The questions of inter-breeding 

 and dimorphism will probably be studied. 



A matter of interest to sub-Antarctic workers in relation to 

 South- Western Australia is the distribution of (Estrelata brevipes, 

 as it is a bird of the Northern Hemisphere visiting the waters 

 of Cape Leeuwin. 



(Estrelata neglecta is a known Australian bird which penetrates 

 into the Antarctic as a visitor. Does it come westward to 

 Tasmanian waters ? The same may be thought of Pelea lineata, 

 which has occurred off Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. It will 



* " Sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand," E. R. Waite (1909). 

 t " Scottish Antarctic Expedition," Ibis (1906). 

 X " Monograph of Petrels," fol. 5, pi. 90 (1910). 



