46 LORD HOWE ISLAND. 



This bird, previously plentiful upon the island, has already become very 

 scarce and will probably soon be exterminated with other species by the 

 Islanders. 



Sterna fuliginosa, Gmelin. 



This bird was found breeding on the rocky ledges and flat parts of the cliffs, 

 but more often on the bare sand ; little or no attempt was made at forming 

 a nest, except in a few instances where a little debris was found scraped 

 around the single egg laid by this bird for sitting. Mr. Saunders, who visited 

 the island during the breeding season, collected a large number of the eggs 

 during November. In a series of over one hundred eggs examined, there is a 

 •great variation in the size, colour, and disposition of their markings. The 

 predominant form is oval, tapering slightly towards the thin end, the colour a 

 dull white, some being nearly devoid of markings, others uniformly freckled 

 and spotted over the whole surface of the shell with reddish-brown markings, 

 others have large irregularly-shaped confluent blotches of purplish-red and 

 slaty-grey, the latter appearing as if beneath the shell, these markings pre- 

 dominating in some towards the larger end of the egg, and a number have 

 rounded spots of rich-red evenly distributed over the surface of the shell. In 

 comparatively few instances do the markings assume the form of a zone. 



Length, (A) 2-13 inches x 1*42 inch. 



(B)2 



5) 



x 1-45 



(C) 1-85 



J> 



x 1-4 



(D)2-15 



)5 



x 1-45 



(E) 2-11 



W 



x 1-4 



(F) 2-04 



)5 



x 134 



(G) 2-02 



»J 



x 1-47 



(H) 2-14 



5) 



xl-48 



Axous stolidus, Linnceus. 



This bird was found breeding during October and November. Its single egg 

 is deposited on a nearly flat nest of sticks, twigs, and seaweed, placed upon 

 low bushes. The eggs, usually oval in form, are slightly pointed at one 

 end, and vary in colour from white to creamy-white, some being minutely 

 spotted all over with brownish-black, others being largely blotched, more 

 particularly towards the larger end, with blood-red markings, and nearly 

 obsolete spots of the same colour appearing as if beneath the surface of the 

 shell. Two average specimens measure as follows: — Length, (A) 2*03 inches 

 x 1-45 inch ; (B) 2-18 inches x 1*47 inch. 



Asovs cineeeus, Gould. 



This species was found breeding in the early part of September, also during 

 the month of November, The eggs were rather difficult to obtain. For the 

 purposes of breeding this bird usually resorts to almost inaccessible ledges of 

 rocks, but sometimes deposits a single egg on the bare sand. In form the eggs 

 are nearly true ovals, being but slightly tapered at one end, of a dull creamy 

 white ground some colour, being sparingly freckled and spotted with faint 

 reddish-brown and slaty-grey markings, the latter colour predominating in 

 some instances, and appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell j others 

 have short, thick, wavy markings, resembling ill-shapen letters and figures, 



