112 



holes were not in the cliffs, nor even near them, but in the midst of dense bush 

 so thick with supple-jack {Rhipogonum scandens), and manga-manga [Lygodium 

 articulatum), that we found considerable difficulty in forcing our way through 

 it, and it is difficult to imagine how the bird could possibly make its way out 

 to sea, and back again to its nest. 



The single egg we found had been slightly sat ujDon ; it was ovoid in form, 

 white and shining. Length 2 inches 10 lines, and gi-eatest breadth 2 inches. 



Graculus vakius, Gml. 



At Port Fitzroy, in the Great Barrier, we found a colony breeding in nests 

 built in trees hanging over the sea. The nests contained two eggs, of a light 

 blue colour and chalky texture, and of oval form ; length 2 inches 5 lines, 

 breadth 1 inch 6 lines. They had not been sat upon on the 1 6th November. 



SuLA SERRATOR, Banks. 



This bird breeds in considerable quantities at Mahuke, a small island lying 

 off the Great Barrier. The point of land of which they have taken possession 

 juts oxit into the sea, and is about 150 feet above the level of high water; it 

 is quite bare of vegetation at the top, and so covered with nests that it was 

 not easy to walk about without ti-eading on them— in a space of 1 8 yards by 

 7 yards we counted 150 ; the nests were mounds of earth, about 22 inches in 

 diameter at the bottom, about 4 inches high, and about 14 inches at the top. 

 On the top of each was a slight hollow, 5 inches in diameter, and in this 

 hollow sometimes, but not always, a little seaweed [Macrocystis pyrifera) was 

 placed. On the 7th December, some of the nests contained fi'esh eggs, some 

 eggs that had been sat upon, and some young birds ; most of the nests had one 

 egg or bird in it, but a few had two. It is hardly necessaiy to add that the 

 smell was very offensive. The eggs were white, but often stained brown with 

 dirt, oval in form, and chalky ; they were often cut and bruised, probably by 

 the beak of the old bird when moving them. The freshly-hatched birds are of 

 a slate colour, but get gradually covered with white down. 



The old birds walk on land with difficulty, and on alighting fall down with 

 considerable force on their breasts ; when rising fi-om the sea they strike the 

 water with both feet together, as do all the cormorants ; unlike the petrels, 

 which strike with each foot alternately. Neither are they very active in rising 

 from the land, as we proved by rushing in on them from a distance of fifteen 

 or twenty yards, and seizing them before they could get off their nests. 



They ajjpear to be incapable of closing the eyes. 



N.B. — The eggs of all these birds may be seen in the Museum of the 

 Auckland Institute. 



