MICRANOUB. 



199 



1. Culpepner Island, 29th July (C. D. Webster-Harris Exped. 



1 . Culpepper Island, 29th July ( C. D. H.) . Webster-Harris Exped. 

 1 . Culpepper Island, 29th July ( C. D. H.). Webster-Harris Exped. 



Genus MICRANOUS, Saunders. 

 Micranous tenuirostris (Temm.). 



Anous nielanops, Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 417 (1865) ; Campbell, 



Nests Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 68 (1883). 

 Anous tenuirostris, Milne-Edwards fy Grandidier, Hist Nat. Madag., Ois. 



ii. p. 665, pi. 308. fig. 3 (1885) ; North, Nests $ Eggs Austr. Birds, 



p. 359 (1889). 

 Micranous tenuirostris, Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 144 (1896) ; 



Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 138 (1899). 



The only egg of the Lesser Noddy in the Collection is of a 

 remarkably long and narrow shape. It is cream-coloured, sparingly 

 marked (except at the broad end, where the markings are rather 

 thickly disposed), with spots and tiny blotches of chocolate-brown. 

 The underlying markings are of a pale purple colour. It measures 

 1-92 by 1-2. 



1. Seychelles (Paris Museum). Saunders Coll. 



Micranous leucocapillus (Gould). 



Anous tenuirostris, Salvin, Ibis, 1864, p. 383. 



Anous leucocapillus, Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 419 (1865) ; 



Campbell, Nests $ Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 68, pi. . fi> 615 (1883). 

 Anous raelanogenys, Crowfoot, Ibis, 1885, p. 264 ; MacFarlane, Ibis, 1887, 



p. 214 ; North, Nests Sf Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 376, pi. xxi. fig. 5 (1889). 

 Micranous leucocapillus, Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 145 (1896) ; 



Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 138 (1899). 



The eggs of the White-capped Noddy are mostly of a broad oval 

 form, but some are quite elliptical. The ground varies from 

 nearly pure white to cream-colour and pale pink. The markings 

 on nearly all the eggs are confined to the larger end, but in a few 

 they are evenly spread over the whole shell. The surface-markings, 

 which vary in size from specks and spots to huge blotches, are of a 

 deep reddish brown or chocolate-brown, and with these are some- 

 times intermingled some lines and comma-like dashes. The under- 

 lying markings are of a pale purple colour, few and inconspicuous. 

 Feebly marked examples are not uncommon, the markings con- 

 sisting of only a few dots. The eggs measure from 1-65 to 1-95 

 in length, and from 1-2 to 1*32 in breadth. 



24. South-west-of-all Cay, Brit. Hon- 

 duras, 12th May (O. Salvin). 



2. Glover's Reef, Brit. Honduras, May 

 (O. Salvin). 



4. Philip Island, near Norfolk Island, 

 Nov. 



2. Norfolk Island. 



2. Vostock Island, Low Archipelago, 

 22nd Oct. (J. It. H. MacFarlane}. 



Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 i 

 Saunders Coll. 



Dr. W. M. Crowfoot [P.], 



Dr. W. M. Crowfoot [P.]. 

 Saunders Coll. 



