GENERAL ZOOLOGY. 15 



distance. Good examples of these " rookeries " may be seen at Clear Place 

 Point, the head of the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and at Ned's Beach. 

 Regular runs, or pathways, are formed through the long grass or scrub, by 

 the constant locomotion of the birds to and from the sea. At these places 

 the burrows consist of vertical or somewhat oblique funnel-shaped holes or 

 depressions scooped out in the loose sandy or rich loamy soil, as the case 

 may be. At the Clear Place Point and the Valley of the Shadow these 

 excavations occupy acres in extent, some of the burrows, instead of mere 

 depressions, consisting of underground tunnels, extending inwards horizon- 

 tally for as much as three feet. The birds begin to arrive in September, and 

 become plentiful in October, when they proceed to clear out the old holes ; 

 and we were informed by Captain T. Nichols that the din at night, when 

 this is going on, and fighting that takes place for the possession of favoured 

 spots by rival claimants, is something deafening. According to the same 

 informant, laying is commenced about 28th November regularly, and com- 

 pleted on 1st December, the young after hatching being fed and tended 

 until April, when they are allowed to cater for themselves. Some idea of 

 the immense numbers of these birds may be gained from a statement made 

 by an anonymous writer " Linnaeus."* He says : — " Some idea may be 

 formed of the flocks of the dusky mutton-bird, when it is mentioned that a 

 party of five visited one island three days during this last season (L882) and 

 obtained in a few hours 600 dozen of the eggs." He further adds : — " The 

 eggs are perfectly sweet, and not the slightest unpleasant flavour or odour 

 can be detected. They answer jusfc as well as duck's or hen's for all 

 purposes to which those are employed, the only difference being that the 

 albuminous portion is slightly in excess in the eggs of the mutton-bird." 

 A third species of mutton-bird, with which we are at present unacquainted, 

 is found on the summit of Mount Ledgbird, at a height of 2,501 feet. We 

 heard this bird passing overhead, when camped in Erskine Valley, and 

 the fledglings were obtained for us by Messrs. C. & G. Nichols. The bird 

 is said to have a quantity of white feathers in its plumage ; this, and also its 

 time of breeding clearly indicate as specifically distinct from the other two 

 referred to above. It is believed by Dr. Eamsay to be a Procellaria. 



The Terns are exceedingly well represented. On the precipitous cliffs of 

 the east coast, and on the Admiralty Islets we met with Annus cinereus, 

 Gould, the Grey Tern, and obtained its egg. It is a very elegant little bird 

 making its apology for a nest, consisting of a few straws, on ledges, usually 

 overhung by a projecting point of rock. Dr. Ramsay has lately describedf 

 the egg from specimens we obtained. 



In strong contrast to the above is another species, Anous sfolidus, 

 Latham, the Noddy Tern, locally known as the "Noddy." With its 

 sooty-brown plumage, black breast, and french-grey poll, this bird forms 

 a strong contrast to A. cinereus. "We observed it only on the Admiralty 

 Islets, where they form a flat nest on the few low bushes to be found 

 there. The nest seems to be made of any flotsam and jetsam the bird can 

 pick up, cemented together with a dirty-looking paste, probably earth. The 

 birds had evidently paired at the time of our visit, but had not laid. A third 

 and very graceful species is the Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuliginosus, Gould, 

 know T n to the Islanders as the " Wideawake." Its white breast, white fore- 

 head and cheeks, and otherwise black plumage, with the two long delicate 



* The Island of Lord Howe. The Madeira of the Pacific. — By " Linnaeus." (12mo. 

 Sydney, 1882), pp. 8 and 9. 

 t Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, 1887, n, pt. 4, p. 67S. 



