4.28 j\Ir. Tom Iredale on the Surface Breedinq 



and though Buller himself had accepted Hutton's correction 

 o£ his error ; to the second GE. leucophrys is ranked as a 

 synonj^m, and under the species name Hutton's diverse 

 opinions are quoted without comment : whilst the last-named 

 is included on Hatton's proposition of it in 1893, though 

 Buller then opposed it and Hutton had since withdrawn his 

 idea of the specific distinction of the form, and Buller had 

 printed that retraction. 



Such was the state of our knowledge of these Petrels in 

 1907^ when an Expedition was organised in New Zealand 

 to investigate the Biology and Geology of the Group. A9 

 the Kermadecs are completely isolated, being 600 miles from 

 the nearest land-point and communication is effected only 

 once a year, it was necessary to provide for such a long stay. 

 The length of time was considered peculiarly adapted to the 

 solution of the problems surrounding these birds. As a 

 matter of fact, ten months only were spent on the island, 

 and consequently some of the more interesting results as 

 to breeding habits were not fully realised. 



I landed on Sunday Island (Plate XV.) on the 31st of 

 December, 1907, and left on the 10th of November, 1908. 



Upon my arrival at the island, the first attraction was the 

 mu.ltitude of birds encircling the tops of the trees in every 

 direction. As night I'ell the noise increased, though it was 

 not so noticeable on the beach owing to ihe clamour of the 

 Wideawakes (^Om/chopTion fuscatus serratus WaglerJ. The 

 first evening a tent was struck almost upon the open beach, 

 and just after dark a Mutton Bird made a plaintive appeal 

 against our intrusion. At sunrise next morning it was dis- 

 covered sitting on its egg within six feet of the tent entrance. 

 Curiously enough, it was a uniform dark bird {(E. phillipi 

 Hutton), which according to theory should not have 

 been there. A few days later a tour was made of the island 

 and copious notes were taken. Though many had hatched 

 young, the majority were sitting on eggs ; they were ob- 

 served on the ground in every situation but none in burrows,. 

 The bulk had to be content with the shelter of the fern alone, 

 though every shelter was taken possession of. Many were 



