(ESTRELATA KIDDERI. 



29 



For the characters of this species, and further discussion of some technical questions 

 concerned, I would refer to the monograph already cited. The hird is a typical Ms*re- 

 lata, of the group of smaller species that cluster around mollis of Gould and cookii of Gray 

 ("genus" Cookilaria Bp.). It has every appearance of being a young hird, in dark 

 whole-colored plumage, like others of this group when immature ; but finding it breed- 

 ing, with the egg, settles the question of its maturity. The whole plumage is dark- 

 gray, nearly uniform, but sootier on the back and wings than on the under parts, with 

 a peculiar glaucous shade throughout. The bill is very short, hardly over an inch long, 

 and extremely thin, though deep and strongly hooked. Other proportions are indi- 

 cated by Dr. Kidder's measurements below. — C. 



Measurements of a specimen. 



1 .A 





























si 



s 



^ 



























oa 





























'S fl 

























Eomarks. 



sg 



ci 







,a 



^ 











03 









aS 



CO 



a 



•a 

 o 



1 



1 



s 





fcb 

 a 



■3 



s 





3 



£ 



"0 







3 









1874. 

























68970 



.S9 



Oct. 21 



d 



14.00 



34.50 



10.15 



4.05 



1.10 



2.05 



1.45 



1.50 



0.35 



Skin with egg. 



Bill black. 



Sicin thickly covered with fat withiu. 



Plumage nearly uDiformly sooty-gray, with a slightly bluish cast. 



Tail, middle feathers longest. 



Tarsus and foot dusky. 



Claws black. 



Ugg single, white, 2.00 by 1.50 inches. 



These birds were found October 11, with eggs, in rather deep bur- 

 rows, each one of which contained a little pool of fresh water, close by 

 where the egg was deposited. They squealed shrilly when captured, with 

 a note very like that of Majaqueus. The only specimen preserved was 

 taken, with an egg, October 21. A young bird, taken December 13, and 

 much resembling the young "mutton-bird" (see Majaqueus), but far less 

 advanced than the latter at that date, I believe to belong to this spe- 

 cies, although the evidence is not positive. It made no sound when 

 taken from the burrow (specimen No. 160). 



These birds were common in burrows near our station early in October, 

 and were neglected for others more difficult of access, under the sup- 

 position that they would always be at hand. After October 21, how- 

 ever, I never saw another adult specimen, and Mr. Eaton informed me 

 in December that he had not yet found it at all. Doubtless, more dili- 

 gent collecting and observation of the birds while they were still com- 

 paratively plentiful would have cleared up the doubt which seems still 

 to exist as to their specific position among JEstrelatce. Their neglect is 



