Gough, Kerguelen^ and South Georgia Islands. 443 



From the above description it will be seen that, though similar in 

 general appearance, this species differs considerably from either of 

 the others. The gray, or " blue," head and neck is, I have no doubt, 

 a constant character in this species, as Mr. Comer told me particu- 

 larly that all th.Q '' molly mokes " at Gough Island were "blue-heads." 

 Then the pure white forehead and absence of the dark patch behind 

 the eye distinguish it from most of the descriptions, but by the 

 entire absence of any yellow on the lower mandible and by the red 

 unguis, it can be known from the others of this genus at a glance.* 

 That these characters are not individual variations is shown by both 

 specimens agreeing in the color of the bill and in all points where a 

 skeleton can agree with a skin. That they are not young birds is 

 shown by the highly colored and well developed bills, by the charac- 

 ter of the legs and feet, and by the condition of the skeleton. 



The difference between this and the other species in some of the 

 measurements, too, is considerable. Mr. Ridgeway makes the length 

 of the tarsus one of his main diagnostic points between Gulminatiis and 

 chlororhynchus, and in our specimens the length is about half-way 

 between the two other species, though a little nearer to culminatus. 

 The two outer toes are also quite noticeably longer in eximius than 

 in chlororhynchiis and the proportions are different, for in the former 

 the outer toe, without claw, is actually longer than the middle toe ; 

 the tail too, although, of course, a variable quantity, is 1'5 longer 

 than in the latter species ; and the bill is somewhat deeper at the 

 base. 



It seems strange that two islands so near together as Tristan and 

 Gough Island should each have a different species of Albatross 

 breeding on it, but the bird that Mr. Moseley saw at the former and 

 Nightingale Island, was certainly chlororhynchiis, although he calls 

 it D. culminata, for he speaks particularly f of the " bright yellow edge 

 to the gape," and says that "the yellow shows out conspicuously on 

 the side of the head." 



Concerning the " molly mokes " Mr. Comer has the following 

 notes : " There is but one kind, which are known as Blue-heads, on 

 Gough Island. Back and heads light blue, top of wings dark, white 

 breasts, top of beak yellow, while the lower part is black, feet white. 

 On this island they lay separately, keeping well apart and scattered 



* In his original description of T. chlororhynchus (1. c), (jrmelin says, "carina man- 

 dibulse superioris barque inferioris flava." 



f "Notes of a Naturalist on the Challenger," H. N. Moseley, pp. 130, 134; Voy. 

 Chal., Zool, ii, p. 149. 



