H. and W. Travers. — Birds of the Chatham Islands. 219 



contents to be Prion turtur, usually swallowed whole. This bird also attacks 

 the young of the domestic fowl, frequently clearing off whole broods, where 

 they breed in the bush. It attacks the albatros very savagely, and generally 

 succeeds in driving it from its prey. Its flight is somewhat the same as that 

 of Larus dominicanus, but it flaps the wing more rapidly than that bird. 

 There is very little distinction in plumage between the male and female. 



108. Larus do7ninicanus. 



109. Larus scopulinus. 



Both these birds are common, the former breeding on the banks of the big 

 lagoon, and the latter in the same locality, and on the banks of smaller lakes. 



113. Sterna frontalis. 



A spring and summer visitor to the islands, where it first appears in 

 August, but I am unable to say at what time it leaves. It breeds in October 

 on the banks of the small lakes, and on rocky places near the coast. 



119. Diomedea melanophrys. 



Eound on Pitt Island, where it probably breeds. 



123. Ossifraga gigantea. 



Stink-pot of the American whalers. This bird is difficult to obtain, except 

 where the carcase of a whale or seal is cast ashore. It usually flies at a great 

 heisht, but when a whale carcase is afloat thev settle on it in thousands. 

 Their flight is generally like that of the albatros, but they flap the wings 

 oftener than that bird. Their power of scent appears to be wonderful. By 

 good fortune I obtained the carcase of a large seal, and after taking off the 

 skin I placed it in a quiet pool amongst the rocks. It had not been there 

 more than an hour when at least forty of these birds attacked it, although I 

 only observed one within sight before the carcase was placed in the pool. 

 They are very wary, and do not settle until they have carefully examined 

 their prey, and then only settle in the water swimming up to the food. 

 They gorge themselves to such an extent as to become incapable of flight. 

 On first landing on Mangare I found a number of these birds, which had 

 gorged themselves on a shoal of fish which had been driven ashore, and several 

 that I picked up and threw into the air fell again like stones. In several that 

 I opened I found remains of fish and of Prion turtur. They breed in 

 November, laying only one egg at a time. Like the albatros they only breed 

 on rocky islets destitute of vegetation, the nests being placed on the edges of 

 the cliffs. 



124. Halodroma urinatrix. 



Common on Pitt Island, and occasionally found on Mangare. 



