Wakefield. — On Dermestes and Phoracantha. 153 



No. 124. — Lestris catarractes, Q. and G. 



An egg of this species, brought by Mr. H. Travers from the Chatham 

 Isles, is ovoi-conical in form ; the colour is olivaceous brown, blotched and 

 dotted with dai-k brown ; it measures nearly 3 inches in length, with a breadth 

 of 2 inches 1 line. 



No. 126, — Larus dominicanus, Licht. 

 Large Gull. 



In certain localities the habits of our Large Gull seem bo peculiar as to 

 deserve some notice. About the sounds it is apparently far less gregarious 

 than it is usually found to be on our eastern sliores. Has the custom of 

 flocking together been abandoned, or is it yet unacquired 1 Fish is as abundant 

 on the western side as it is here, so that any difficulty in the food supply does 

 not seem to be the cause of different habits. It breeds solitarily on little islets, 

 stumps, or roots of stranded trees. The nests are large, substantial structures, 

 showing a degree of labour and care in their construction which is not matched 

 by the birds on our side of the island. Some found by the writer, in Milford 

 Sound, were large nests formed of a vast variety of materials, and so solidly 

 built that they were brought away without the least damage. The young keep 

 to the nest for some time, lying on the bi'oad walls basking in the sun ; from 

 the castings we found they were fed on young mussels, etc. These Gulls prey 

 on the young of other birds, such as those of the teal for instance, which are 

 swallowed at a gulp. 



No. B. 131. — Sterna alba, Potts. 



The White Tern seen by the writer on the Ashburton, and described by 

 him in Trans. N.Z. Inst., Yol. III., is quietly placed by Dr. Buller with 

 S. nereis, to which he gives the name of the Little White Tern. 



This fine White Tern was seen on the Waitangi River by the Hon. 

 G. Buckley, and others. Last month (November 20) a pair were seen flying 

 up and down the course of that great river. 



It is satisfactory to be able to record a second notice of the occurrence of 

 this bird in the breeding season. 



Art. XXXI. — Note on the Occurrence o/* Dermestes lardarius and Phoracantha 

 recurva in Gcmterhury, New Zealand. By C. M. Wakefield. 

 [Bead before, the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 2nd Aj)ril, 1873.] 

 On the 12th of last February I captured a specimen of Dermestes in a box of 

 insects lately received from Australia by Dr. Haast for the Christchurch 

 Museum. Upon comparing it with a S2)ecimen of D. lardarius taken at 



u 



