Aves.] SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 583 



Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi, Ogil vie- Grant. (Bounty Island shag.) 



Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi, Ogilvie-Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, xi, 1901, 

 p. 66. 



I sailed past the Bounty Islands in February, 1907, without landing. 

 This is the latest addition to the avifauna of the New Zealand region. 



Hah. — Bounty Islands. 



Order LAMELLIROSTRES. 



Fam. ANATIDAE. 



>• Anas, Linnaeus, 1758. 



Anas superciliosa, Gmelin. (Grey duck.) 



Anas superciliosa, Gmelin, Syst. Nat., ed. xiii, i, 1788, p. 537. 



Though recorded from both the Auckland and Campbell Islands, the bird was 

 not, so far as I learned, seen by any member of our expedition. 



Hab. — Java, Australia, Polynesia, New Zealand ; Auckland, Campbell, and 

 Chatham Islands. 



Nesonetta, Gray, 1844. 

 Nesonetta aucklandica, Gray. (Flightless duck.) 



Nesonetta aucklandica, Gray, Gen. Birds, iii, 1844, p. 627, pi. clxix, fig. 4. 



Dr. L. Cockayne having been commissioned by the Government to obtain living 

 examples of the flightless duck for transference to the bird- sanctuary on Kapiti 

 Island, a special excursion was made to Ewing Island (Auckland Group) for the pur- 

 pose of securing examples. We found these birds also on Disappointment Island 

 (Auckland Group). They frequent the kelp on the coast, but were also found high 

 up the hillsides in the watercourses. 



The cages into which the ducks were placed chanced to have been furnished 

 with perches, and it was found that the birds readily availed themselves of these, 

 perching almost as well as a true passerene. 



The birds were safely conveyed to the sanctuary in Cook Strait, and at latest 

 advices were doing well. 



Though usually spoken of as " flightless," Captain Bollons tells me that these 

 ducks are able to fly for short distances, and, as a matter of fact, they reach their 

 nesting-sites by this means. The eggs are laid in holes 15 ft. or 20 ft. above sea- 

 level, excavations made by petrels being possibly utilised. As these holes are some- 

 times made in the face of a cliff, a mere walking-bird would be unable to reach them. 

 Captain Bollons informs me that he has often seen the ducks rise at the foot of the 

 cliff and by aid of the wings alone plump straight into the holes. Even by means of 

 a ladder he himself has been unable to reach the nests. 



Hab. — Auckland Islands. 



