ge:neral zoology. 



K 



distance. Good examples of these " rookeries " may be seen at Clear Place 

 Point the head of the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and at Ned's Beach. 

 Regular runs, or pathways, are formed through the long grass or scrub, by 

 the constant locomotion of the birds to and from the sea. At these places 

 the burrows consist of vertical or somewhat oblique funnel-shaped holes or 

 depressions scooped out in the loose sandy or rich loamy soil as the case 

 may be. At the Clear Place Point and the Valley of the Shadow these 

 excavations occupv acres in extent, some of the burrows, instead of mere 

 depressions, consisting of underground tunnels, extending inwards horizon- 

 tally for as much as three feet. The birds begin to arrive m September, and 

 become plentiful in October, when they proceed to clear out the old holes ; 

 and we were informed by Captain T. Nichols that the dm at mght, when 

 this is going on, and fighting that takes place for the possession of favoured 

 " spots by rival claimants, is something deafening. According to the same 

 informant, laying is commenced about 28th November regularly, and com- 

 pleted on' 1st December, the young after hatching being fed and tended 

 until .\pril, when they are allowed to cater for themselves. Some idea of 

 the immense numbers of these birds may be gained from a statement made 

 by an anonymous writer " Linna;us."* He says :—" Some idea may be 

 formed of the flocks of the dusky mutton-bird, when it is mentioned that a 

 party of five visited one island three days during this last season (1882) and 

 obtained in a few hours 600 dozen of the eggs." He further adds :— " ihe 

 6g"-s are perfectly sweet, and not the slightest unpleasant flavour or odour 

 can be detected." They answer iusfc as well as duck's or hen s tor all 

 purposes to which those are employed, the only difference being that the 

 albuminous portion is slightly in excess in the eggs of the mutton-bird 

 A third species of mutton-bird, with which we are at present unacquainted, 

 is found on the summit of Mount Ledgbird, at a height of 2,501 feet. Wo 

 heard this bird passing overhead, when camped m Erskine V alley, and 

 the fledglings were obtained for us by Messrs. C. & G. Nichols. Ihe bird 

 is said to have a quantity of white feathers in its plumage ; this, and also its 

 time of breeding clearly "indicate as specifically distinct from the other two 

 referred to above. It 'is believed by Dr. Eamsay to be a Frocellaria. 



The Terns are exceedingly vfd\ represented. On the precipitous cliffs of 

 the cast coast, and on the Admiralty Islets we mot with Anous cinerms 

 ' Gould, the Grey Tern, and obtained its egg. It is a very elegant littie bird 

 maldn-'' its apol'ogv for a nest, consisting of a few straw^s, on ledges, usually 

 overhung by a projecting point of rock. Dr. Eamsay has lately describedt 

 the egg from specimens we obtained. 



In strong contrast to the above is another species, Anous sfolidus, 

 Latham, the Noddy Tern, locally known as the " Noddy." With its 

 sooty-brown plumage, black breast, and french-grey poll, this bird forms 

 a strong contrast to A. cinereus. We observed it only on the Admiralty 

 Islets, where they form a flat nest on the few low bushes to be fxiund 

 there ' The nest seems to be made of any flotsam and jetsam the bird can 

 pick up, cemented together with a dirty-looking paste, probably earth. Ihe 

 birds had evidently paired at the time of our visit, but had not laid. A third 

 and very graceful species is the Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuligmosus, Gould, 

 known to the Islanders as the " Wideawake." Its white breast, white fore- 

 head and cheeks, and otherwise black plumage, with the two long dehcate 



* The Island of Lord Howe 

 'Sydney, 1882), pp. 8 and 9. 

 t Proc. Linn. 8oc., N.S. Wales, 1887, n, pt. 4, p. 678 



The Madeira of the Pacific.— By " Linnajus." (12mo. 



