WILSON'S PETREL. 77 



Adare by the ' Southern Cross,' where we are told by Mr. Hanson that eggs were 

 secured, but no live young ones ; though from the multitude of the dead young ones 

 in their old nests, it appears that very many perish every year. Kerguelen is 

 given as the first breeding place made known in 1874. 



Quite recently the Scottish Expedition has returned with eggs from the South 

 Orkneys, and the following notes are given in Mr. Eagle Clarke's paper on the bird 

 in these islands (Ibis, January, 1906, p. 167). " In the autumn of 1903 it was last 

 seen on March 23rd. ... It was never observed during the winter months, and 

 did not appear until late in the spring, namely on November llth, being the last of the 

 summer visitors to arrive. ... On December 1 1th the first egg was obtained. . . . 

 There was no attempt at nest making . . . and both eggs and dead young birds 

 of previous seasons were numerous in the tenanted holes containing the fresh eggs." 



Quoting once more from Mr. Howard Saunders : " After the breeding season 

 Wilson's Petrel wanders widely ; and owing to the fact that it has been often observed 

 on the coasts of Western Europe, including the British Islands, as well as on those of 

 America up to Labrador, some ornithologists have assumed that it breeds on the islands 

 of the North Atlantic. Of this there is not the slightest proof ; on the contrary, some 

 of the birds obtained between the spring and autumn of our Northern Hemisphere are 

 in moult." 



" Both sexes," says Mr. Hall (Ibis, 1900, p. 19), in speaking of the nesting 

 habits of this bird upon Kerguelen Island, " take turns at incubation, and about 8 p.m. 

 the ' night shift ' comes in from the sea to go on duty, when the relief is marked by 

 loud croakings ; and few birds are to be seen over the land in the day-time." 



This point is no doubt the same as that commented upon by Mr. Eagle Clarke 

 in the following words : "From 7 to 11 p.m. these birds flitted about the cliffs and 

 over the head of Scotia Bay in great abundance, and in striking contrast to their 

 habit in the day-time, when only occasionally was one to be seen on the water, though 

 there were probably many at sea off the islands." 



The bird is obviously migratory, coming far south to breed, and wandering over 

 every ocean when its duties in that way are completed. We first met with it on 

 November 7th, in 51 16' S. lat., 108 5' E. long., just before dipping south to make a 

 short excursion in the ice pack on our way out to New Zealand. On the 8th we again 

 saw several. After that not more than one or two till November 16th, when we were in 

 touch with ice. The bird was with us each day in the ice and out of it, and north- 

 wards till we reached Macquarie Island on November 22nd. Between Macquarie 

 Island and New Zealand we did not see it, nor yet until we sighted ice after leaving 

 New Zealand on our voyage to the South, did this bird again put in an appearance. 

 On January 2nd and during the week that we spent in making our way through the 

 pack they were with us night and day, flitting over the icefloes like so many 

 House Martins.* 



* House Martin = Chelidon urbica. 



