440 G. E. Verrill — Some Birds and Eggs collected at 



6. Diomedea melanophrys Temm. Spectacled Albatross. " White-headed Molly 

 Moke." 



Diomedea melanophrys Temm., PI. Col., No. 456; Sharpe. Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc, 

 vol. 168, p. 146; Salvin, Yoy. of Chal., vol. ii, Zo51., 2d Mem., p. 148; and of 

 authors. 



One Qgg from South Georgia. 



Though there are no skins in the collection, I have little doubt of 

 the identity of this bird, judging from Mr. Comer's description. 

 He states that there are two kinds of " Molly Mokes," " White-heads " 

 and "Blue-heads," that they are quite distinct and easily distin- 

 guished, and are not found breeding in the same places. 



He further says, " There are a few rookeries of the white-heads 

 on Kerguelen, but do not remember of seeing any blue-heads there." 



The Challenger Expedition records it from Kerguelen, but it was 

 not seen there by the Transit Expeditions. 



In his journal at South Georgia Mr. Comer speaks of getting 20 

 "molly moke" eggs at French Bay on Oct. 14th, 10 dozen on the 

 next day, and " 6 buckets of molly moke eggs" on Oct. 25th, but 

 after that does not speak of taking any. Whether they were of this 

 species or not, is uncertain as the "blue-heads," probably T. chloro- 

 rhynchus, are also found there. 



The egg is somewhat larger than the average of the following 

 species, measuring 3*97 X 2*64, and it is much more thickly marked 

 about the large end, only one out of the 75 eggs of the next species 

 approaching it in this respect, with these exceptions, it much resem- 

 bles them. 



6. Thalassogeron eximius, sp. nov. " Blue-headed Molly Moke " 



Plate viii, figs. 1 and 2. 



Sp. Char. Similar in plumage to T. chlororhynchus, but the lower 

 mandible lacks completely the transverse yellow bar at its base, and 

 is entirely black, except at the extreme outer end, where it is slightly 

 tipped with light horn color. The bright yellow of the culmen 

 begins almost at its extreme base and gradually deepens and bright- 

 ens into orange in the middle and finally into dull red on the unguis, 

 growing paler towards the tip. Sides and back of head pale ash- 

 gray, forehead white. No dark spot behind the eye. Tarsus, tail, 

 and two outer toes longer than in T. chlororhynchus and bill some- 

 what deeper at the base. Wing 19*25, tail 8'5, tarsus 3'05-3*07, 

 <iulmen 4*4 0-4-62, middle toe and claw 4*44-4 '49, outer toe and claw 

 4-32-4-35. 



