Birds of South Trinidad. 213 



which is as big as a fowl's, though the bird itself is only of 

 the size of a pigeon. I marked the birds which were caught 

 sitting ; one was a cock bird with a dark grey breast, not 

 white, and with pink and black feet. The second was a cock 

 bird with a pure white breast. The third was a hen with a 

 wholly grey breast. All these had pink legs and pink and 

 black feet. Therefore I conclude that the white breast is a 

 sign of maturity, not sex, and that the younger birds of both 

 sexes have grey breasts, just as the mature birds of both 

 sexes have white breasts. The skins made may be arranged 

 thus : — 



This Petrel I take to be possibly (Estrelata neglecta, but 

 more probably the Trinidad species CEstrelata arminjoniana. 



There was but one specimen obtained of the last species to 

 be mentioned — the black Petrel with black legs and feet, 

 which I take to be Q^strelata trinitatis. This bird was found 

 breeding in considerable numbers well away from its white- 

 breasted cousin, and much higher up in the island, on ledges 

 of the cliffs of the higher parts, and in small colonies close 

 together. The eggs were indistinguishable from those of the 

 white-breasted bird, and a mere saucer-shaped hollow formed 

 the nest as in the other case. There were no young. Six 

 eggs of this bird reached the ship, but most of them were 

 slightly cracked, owing to the fact that they were all 

 brought down the steep mountain-side in a handkerchief, like 

 mushrooms, and being as big as fowls' eggs they naturally 

 suffered. They were all either fresh or very slightly 

 incubated. 



