26 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Nesting Habits of the Black-eyebrowed and Wandering Alba- 
trosses.— The following particulars, forwarded by Mr.J. L. Collison-Morley, 
are extracted from an account sent to the ‘ Southland Times’ of New Zealand 
by Mr. W. Dougall. Every six months the New Zealand Government send 
a steamer to the following uninhabited South Pacific Tslands,— Stewart, 
Snares, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes, and Bounty Islands, the last-named 
415 miles south-east of New Zealand,—to overhaul and replenish food 
depéts maintained for those who may unfortunately be shipwrecked upon 
them, and the observations given below were made by Mr. W. Dougall when 
accompanying one of these trips, chiefly to take photographs on these 
islands :—* Returning to Monumental Head (Auckland Island), we picked 
up our hunters, laden with Albatrosses (Diomedea melanophrys and 
D. exulans), living and dead, and Albatross eggs in abundance. I ascended 
one of the highest hills, Mount Honey, 1866 feet (Campbell Island), amidst 
hundreds of nests of the Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans, surrounded 
by tussocks, ferns and ti-tree scrub. We came on the first Albatross at 
about 800 feet above sea-level, and after reaching the crown of the hill, 
1000 feet, they were sitting on their nests, and flying about close to the 
ground in hundreds. Apparently the Albatross lays but one egg each year, 
but one of the parties found two nests containing two eggs each. It was 
suggested that this was only a freak of nature, although it is known that 
the Gannet of New Zealand lays two eggs. All up the sides of the hills 
wild parsley was growing luxuriantly, often two feet high, while everlasting 
daisies clothed the ground like a carpet. The cotton-wood plant, in full 
bloom, was also plentiful. As the top—-1866 feet—is reached, variety of 
vegetation ends, and travelling becomes easier, as there is no growth to 
impede progress, but diminutive tussocks, among which are the Albatross- 
nests and their tenants. These nests are built up of moss and earth about 
four inches above the surface of the ground. ‘The material to form the 
nest is so taken from the soil as to leave a trench all round it, and this 
keeps things dry for the important object in view. The female never 
leaves the nest during incubation, a period of about sixty days, and is fed 
by her mate, who hunts for food for both. If by chance the nest is left 
unguarded for a moment, the egg is pounced upon by the Sea-hawk 
(Lestris), which is here in thousands. The Albatross is a stupid bird; it 
will sit, whether hatching or not, till you kick it over with your foot. 
Nevertheless it will resent such liberties, aud should it succeed in getting a 
hold, it will take the piece out of trousers, hose, and skin. The best way to 
catch one is to make a feint at its head with the left hand, which distracts 
the bird’s attention, and then quickly seize it by the bill with the right; 
but be sure you got the grip, for they turn very quickly, and would snap 
your fingers off if they get a proper hold. They build on the flat plateau of 
the hills, and, so far as we have seen, never lower down than 700 feet from 
