Eeischek. — Zoology of the Chicken Islands. 275 



Nestor meridionalis, Gml. Scarce. 



Chrysococcyx lucidus, Gml. Scarce. 



Carpophaga novce-zealandia, Gml. Scarce. 



Larus dominicanus, Liclit. Scarce. 



Procellaria lessoni, Garnot. Scarce. 

 ,, gouldii, Hutton. 



,, cookii, Gray. 



Pufflnus gavius, Forst. 



Dysporus serrato?', L. 



Graculus varius, Gml. 



EudyjJtula minor, Forst. 

 It is evident from, an examination of this list that the avifauna is much 

 richer on these comparatively small islands than on the adjoining mainland, 

 where, to give only one instance, Anthornis melanura has entirely disappeared, 

 while on these islands it is still of frequent occurrence. Of the birds at least 

 three, namely, Procellaria gouldii and cookii and Puffinus gavius, Hve soci- 

 ably in the holes generally dug out by the tuatara {Sphenodon punctatum, 

 Schtz.), and apparently on the best of terms with it. The tuatara excavates 

 its hole mostly on the western slope of the islands. The entrance to the 

 chamber is generally four to five inches in diameter, and the passage leading 

 into the inner chamber is two to three feet long, first descending and then 

 ascending again. The chamber itself is one foot and a-half long, by one foot 

 wide and six inches high, and is Hned with grass and leaves. The following 

 rough sketches give (1) a section of the passage and inner chamber, and (2) 

 a section along the greatest diameter of that strange habitation. On both 

 sides of the entrance the two animals have their nests separately, so that 

 they do in no way interfere with each other. On the right side hves 

 generally the tuatara, and on the left the petrel. In one chamber I found 

 one tuatara and one petrel with its eggs, in another one tuatara and one 

 young petrel. 



1. Entrance. 1. Tuatara. 



2. Passage. 2. Petrel. 



3. Chamber. 3. Entrance. 



