ON THE BIRDS OF GOUGH ISLAND, SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. 287 



eggs on the 26th of that month, and found them quite plentiful by the third of January. 

 The young, he says, must be ten months old before they can fly, and not more than five 

 per cent, live to leave their nests ; they are killed by the skuas and Giant Petrels. 

 Mr Comer considers that the Gough Island race is smaller than those from the other 

 islands (South Georgia and Kerguelen), and his statements are borne out, according to 

 Verrill, by both specimens and eggs.* 



[Diomedea melanophrys Temm.t 



The occurrence of this species must be regarded as doubtful. Mr Wilton records 

 it in his Log as being abundant off the island on the 21st of April. No specimens of 

 this albatros are, however, in the collection, nor are they mentioned as having been 

 obtained. The species is not included in Verrill's list, based upon Mr Comer's material 

 and observations ; nor does it appear to have been recorded from Tristan da Cunha.] 



19. [Thalassogeron eximius Verrill. 



This was described as a new species by Verrill (t.c., pp. 440-445), being founded on 

 a skin and skeleton which were obtained, together with seventy-five eggs, at Gough 

 Island by Mr Comer. 



It is described as similar in plumage to T. chlororhynchus, but the mandible lacks 

 the transverse yellow bar at its base and is entirely black (except at the extreme outer 

 end, where it is tipped with light horn-colour). The bright yellow of the culmen 

 deepens and brightens into orange in the middle, and finally into dull red on the 

 margins, growing paler towards the tip. 



Mr Comer says there is but one kind of "Molly-Mawk" on Gough Island, which 

 is known as the Blue-head. The birds lay their eggs separately, keeping well apart, 

 and are scattered about the island among the tussocks and brakes. They commence to 

 lay on the 20th of September, and their nests are like those of D. exulans, only smaller. 



It is possible that some of the birds recorded by Mr Wilton as Diomedea melano- 

 phrys (but of which no specimens appear to have been obtained), and as being numerous 

 off the island during the stay of the Scotia, were of this species.] 



20. Thalassogeron sp. inc. + 



There is in the collection a single specimen of a " Molliemauk " of great interest, 

 since it does not entirely agree with the description of any known species. 



I was inclined to think that it might be an immature example of T. chlororhynchus 

 in a phase of plumage which, if known, is not described by Salvin (t.c., pp. 451-2). It 

 differs, however, from the mature bird of that species in having the bill shorter and 

 entirely black, and the toes much shorter. Its dimensions are: wing 18*2 inches, 

 tarsus 3'0, middle toe 3 "5, outer toe 3 '2, inner toe 2'3, and culmen 4'75. 



* See this volume, p. 292. t Ibid., p. 272. J Ibid., p. 274. 



