ON THE BIRDS OF GOTJGH ISLAND, SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. 279 



The Gallinule or " Island Hen " (Porphyriomis comeri) appears to differ only 

 slightly from the species (P. nesiotis) found on Tristan Island ; though, on the other 

 hand, both of them would seem, if report is to be relied upon, to be widely different 

 from the representative of the family found on Inaccessible Island (see Moseley, Natural- 

 ist on the Challenger, p. 122). 



These three terrestrial endemic birds are, moreover, representatives of genera 

 entirely unknown elsewhere except in Tristan da Cunha ; and thus Gough Island, 

 though lying over 200 miles to the south, must be looked upon ornithologically as 

 an outlier of the Tristan group. The relationship is, however, somewhat remote, 

 for the buntings found on Inaccessible and Gough Islands are specifically very 

 distinct ; the Tristan possesses a peculiar genus of thrush, Nesocichla, with a single 

 species (N. eremita), which is not at present known to have any representative on 

 Gough Island. 



The other birds forming the ornis of Gough Island are mostly Tubinares. The 

 number of species of this order observed during the short visit of the Scotia is quite 

 remarkable, and it would seem probable that a thorough investigation of the island- 

 as yet almost untrodden by the foot of man in the summer season would reveal the 

 fact that it is a perfect paradise as a breeding-station for " petrels." Indeed, one species 

 of albatros (Thalassogeron eximius) has not been obtained elsewhere. 



The only previous contribution to our knowledge of the avifauna of the island is, I 

 believe, contained in a communication by Mr G. E. Verrill to the Transactions of the 

 Connecticut Academy, based upon the collections and experiences of Mr George Comer. 

 Mr Comer resided on Gough Island from the 22nd of August 1888 until the 23rd of 

 January 1889, and was engaged, along with others, in the capture of seals. During 

 the period he got together a very creditable ornithological collection, and among his 

 specimens were two birds which proved to be new to science, namely, the flightless 

 Gallinule (Porphyriorms comeri) and an albatros (Thalassogeron eximius). Mr 

 Comer's notes are of considerable interest, and I have not hesitated to make use of them 

 where desirable. I have also included the names of the very few species observed by 

 him of which examples were not obtained or noted by Dr Bruce and his colleagues, in 

 order to render my account of the avifauna of this most interesting and little-known 

 isle as complete as possible : these are given within square brackets. 



The date of the visit of the Scotia to the island was not the best for ornithological 

 work, April being mid-autumn in the southern hemisphere. Unfortunately, too, the 

 state of the weather did not permit of more than a few hours being spent ashore, and 

 even then the party could not proceed far inland, owing to the uncertainty of the pre- 

 vailinw meteorological conditions. Under these circumstances the members of the 



O O 



Expedition are to be congratulated upon having accomplished so much good work. 



The colours of the bills and feet, when given, are taken from a series of carefully 

 prepared drawings made at the time of capture of the various birds by Mr Cuthbertson, 

 the artist to the Expedition. 



