12 



NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND. 



been used, again and added to year after year. The egg is single, ellip- 

 tical in longitudinal section, and but slightly thicker at the large than 

 at the small end. Only occasional specimens tend somewhat to the 

 ovoid form. The shell is white, of loose granular texture and roughly 

 mammillated surface. There are no markings beneath the superficial 

 calcareous layer, and the spots which appear on this seem to be adven- 

 titious stains from the secretions of the oviduct, or accidental soiling 

 after extrusion. Some specimens show a reddish stain upon the larger 

 end, piobably dried blood, since it is readily washed off. 

 The measurements are as follows: — 



Smithson. No. 



Orig. No. 



Length. 



Width. 



Long circumf. 



Short circumf. 



17097 



222a 



4.96 



3.18 



13.15 



9.65 



17098 



2226 



5.08 



3.08 



13.15 



9.70 



17099 



222o 



4.80 



3,18 



12.90 



10.04 



17100 



222d 



5.21 



3.25 



13.80 



10.50 



17101 



222e 



4.80 



3.10 



12.80 



9.00 



17102 



222/ 



4.88 



3.22 



13.10 



10.18 



No young were hatched previous to January 11. 



Phcebetria fulliginosa, {Gm.) BeicJi. (p. 21.) 



ISTests on rocky shelves or in caves in the faces of lofty cliffs where the 

 birds build a conical mound, seven or eight inches high, hollowed into a 

 cup at the top and lined rudely with grass. Egg is single, broadly ovoidal, 

 generally white, marked by a collection of specks about the larger end, 

 somewhat like the adventitious stains on the eggs of D. exulans, but, as 

 well as we can judge, less superficial. The shell is compact in structure, 

 rather thin for its size, and superficially smooth to the touch. Under 

 the lens, it is seen to be marked by minute pits and linear depressions, 

 being thus decidedly different, both to the eye and to the touch, from 

 those of D. exulans. 



The measurements are as follows: — 



Smithson. No. 



Orig. No. 



Length. 



Width. 



Long circumf. 



Short circumf. 



17104 

 17103 



52 



86 



3.95 

 3.95 



3.64 

 2.60 



10.50 

 10.50 



8.40 



8.25 



An embryo has been sent to Professor Morse for examination. 



