256 Hull, Nest and Egg of CEstrelata leucoplera. r2in"ian 



again. Landing about 7 o'clock in the morning, we found the 

 Penguins still at work, several having fresh eggs under them. 

 This bird must arrive to breed at intervals from late August to 

 December, judging from our discovery of nearly full-grown 

 birds in October and fresh eggs in December. Piiffinus spJiemirus 

 had commenced to lay apparently some days before our arrival, 

 as we found many burrows tenanted, and eggs either fresh or 

 slightly incubated. 



. We gave these two species scant attention, however, and 

 quickly made our way to the gully. Immediately upon entering 

 its shades I found a White-winged Petrel sitting in full view 

 amongst some vines trailing over the ground, and on removing 

 her discovered her egg reposing on a bed of dead cabbage palm 

 fronds, broken into short pieces and piled for a few inches in 

 depth in a hollow amongst the stones. The Q.gg was pure 

 white, soft and chalky in texture, elongated oval in shape, 

 measuring 2.12 x 1.4 inches. My brother soon found another, 

 and Mr. Austin followed with a third. Thereafter we went on 

 finding the sitting birds in all directions in the gully. In most 

 cases the bird was visible, either under an overhanging rock or in 

 a crevice amongst the stones. In several instances a cry from 

 under a mass of fallen fronds led to a search, and the bird was 

 found nesting amongst the stones beneath. In one place I 

 found five sitting birds under one mass of fronds. The eggs 

 were for the most part fresh, but several were partly incubated, 

 and two contained feathered chicks. There is no doubt, 

 therefore, that they had commenced to lay shortly after our 

 visit on 30th October. As the first (^g^ taken was of abnormal 

 length, I took the measurement of 31 specimens, and found the 

 average dimensions to be 1.96 x 1.46 inches. The Q^'g I selected 

 for a type was 1.96 x 1.48 inches. There is considerable 

 variation in dimensions and shape of the eggs, but for the most 

 part they are stout rounded oval in shape, while a few are 

 elongated oval. The major axis varies from 1.76 to 2.12 

 inches, and the minor axis from 1.36 to 1.54 inches. 



The birds show no difference outwardly between the sexes, 

 but individual specimens show slight variation in the slaty-grey 

 colour on the sides of the neck ; in some cases this colour 

 extends right over the throat, becoming lighter towards the 

 middle. One specimen had a few scattered white feathers on the 

 crown. The sitting birds showed no fear, but pecked sharply at 

 one's hand, although the beak is not strong or large enough to 

 inflict more than a slight scratch. When removed from the nest 

 they generally fluttered down the gully towards the sea, but in 

 some instances returned after going a short distance, and sought 

 shelter in a rock crevice. 



After exploring the first gully, we re-embarked in the dinghy, 

 and visited another gully further to the north. The landing at 



