10 



IREDALE, Bird Life on the Kermadec Islands. [^^^ "J",^ 



noted. On I2th November at Macauley Island, and on the 

 13th at Curtis Island, hard-set eggs were seen. 



In the " Supplement to the Birds of New Zealand " the Noddy 

 Tern (Anous stolidus) is included, on the ground that Cheeseman 

 reported it as breeding on the Kermadecs. This is an error, as 

 reference to the quotation given immediately shows. This bird 

 was not seen at Sunday Island, and it is pretty certain it does 

 not breed there. 



The Red-tailed Tropic-Bird from the Kermadecs has been 

 previously recorded under the specific title o{ rubricauda, Bodd. 

 Rothschild has separated a bird under the name ej'ubescens, and 

 this is the bird that bred on the Kermadec group. A striking 

 characteristic is the bright pink colouration of the upper and 

 lower parts, which in rubricauda are snowy-white. As the bird 

 floated in the sunshine the pink gleam was very lovely, and to 

 some degree its loveliness compensated for the harsh nature of 

 its cries. The long red tail feathers seem to be the delight of 

 its life ; it passes most of its time in displaying these to the best 

 advantage to its neighbour, who, in turn, endeavours to surpass 

 it, each accompanying its evolutions with hoarse cries. The bird 

 even moults these feathers one at a time, and is consequently 

 never without one. If when sitting it is approached, and both 

 tail feathers are pulled out, it will sulk until the feathers have 

 grown. It is a most erratic breeder, but I was unable to observe 

 the time of incubation. On 4th January eggs were fresh as well 

 as hard-set, whilst one young one was already hatched. A young 

 bird, fully feathered, was picked up on the beach the first week 

 of April, and then in the last week fresh eggs were seen. I do 

 not think the young would have been reared even if they 

 were hatched out of these eggs. No birds were noted during 

 June or July, but the beginning of August once more saw them 

 back in their stations. The birds nested on grassy ledges on 

 the sea-cliffs all round the coast. The down of the young varied 

 from pale dove-grey to pure white. 



The Masked Gannets {Sula cyanops) bred in numbers on one 

 of the outlying islets, hence known to the settlers as Gannet 

 Island. A couple of pairs had also bred on Meyer Island, but 

 none were present on Sunday Island, A young bird was noted 

 half-fledged on Meyer Island on 29th February, and the same 

 bird flew when approached on 23rd April. On the 12th 

 November birds were observed sitting on fresh eggs on Macauley 

 Island, and the following day on Curtis Island. As far as was 

 observed no nest was made, a slight hollow being selected to do 

 duty, and the egg laid therein. In one case four eggs were seen 

 in a nest, and two were noted more often than one. 



The Challenger passed between Macauley and Sunday Islands 

 going north, and records that in Kermadec waters were observed 

 species of Albatrosses and Petrels, the Cape Pigeon being 



