Aves.] 



SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



567 



know, is the only island inhabited by both species. We found one-year-old wander- 

 ing albatroses at Disappointment Island, but it was at the Antipodes, in February, 

 1907, that I had the best opportunity of observing the bird. 



The following notes are reprinted from an article I contributed to the Christ- 

 church Press on my return from His Excellency's tour : — 



" Having climbed the steep face of the cliff, and leaving the rocks and penguins 

 below, we reached a belt of Coprosma scrub, thence ascended to a table-land dotted 

 with sitting albatroses. Leaving the rest of the party here. Professor Benham and 



Fig. 11. — Wandering Albatkos {Dlomedea exiilans) on Nest, Antipodes Island. 



I decided to make for the top of Mount Galloway ; but we had not counted on the 

 rough nature of the ground to be traversed. The tussocks of grass grow upon an 

 ancient base, to which each succeeding crop adds its quota, so that the head of the 

 tussock is often 6 ft. from its base. The tussocks, also, are so close together that 

 at a distance the whole appears like a waving meadow. If choice was made to walk 

 on the tussock-heads, but a few steps would be taken when one would be precipi- 

 tated into the channel between them; and if it was elected to walk in these channels 

 the closeness of the tussocks presented the difficulties of a thick hedge. Occasion- 

 ally we would encounter a waterway, at this season little more than damp, but 

 supporting such a luxuriance of tall harsh fern, with great thick masses of stems, 



