49 



February 16th. — As we approach the Cape bird-life is in evidence again. Shags and Petrels and 

 Boobies are plentiful, and an astonishing number of Gannets. Of the latter I counted one hundred in less 

 than twenty minutes, all proceeding northward, going with the wind and flying high. I observed about half- 

 a-dozen going in an opposite direction and against the wind, and these kept very near to the surface, where, 

 owing to the waves, the resistance would be less felt. As we reached Table Bay, about 9 p.m., a perfect 

 storm came over the mountain, and we had to cast anchor in the offing and wait for it to abate. Was it the 

 instinctive knowledge of the approaching gale that made all the Gannets hurry northward for shelter in the 

 afternoon ? On Wednesday night the whole sea was aflame with phosphoric light ; last night and to-night it 

 was black as ink. This may be due to sudden changes of temperature in the water. 



For the foregoing photograph of Gannets nesting on the slope of a cliff at Cape 

 Kidnappers I am indebted to Messrs. A. E. W. Lascelles and D. Hamilton. 



Order PELECANIFORMES.l 



[Family SULID^. 



SULA CYANOPS. 



Dysporus cyanops (Sundevall), Cheeseman, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxiii., p. 293. 



Through the kind services of Mr. Cheeseman I have received some fine specimens (of both 

 sexes) from the Kermadec Islands. 



Mr. J. C. McLean writes ('Ibis,' 1892, vol. iv., 6th ser., p. 254):— 



In the last volume of the 'Transactions of the New Zealand Institute' (vol. xxiii., p. 223), Mr. Cheeseman 

 states that in Norfolk Island Sula cyanops lays two eggs in the nest, while in the Kermadec Islands it lays 

 only one. Again, Mr. North says ('Desc. Cat.,' p. 363) that 'in Australia the nest of Dysporus serrator usually 

 contains two eggs. Now, in New Zealand, one egg is the usual number laid, and in a breeding-station that 

 I have visited in four different years I have never seen more than one egg in each nest.' [That also is my 

 experience.] 



Mr. North, in his interesting account of the birds inhabiting Lord Howe Island, writes : — 



The Masked Gannet was found breeding from September to December ; little or no attempt is made at 

 forming a nest, the eggs, two in number, usually being deposited on the bare ground ; when newly laid, 

 they are of a pale greenish- white colour, which in most instances is covered with a thick coating of lime ; 

 after being sat upon for a few days, the eggs become soiled and assume a dirty-brown hue. In form they 

 vary from short to long ovals. 



S. cyanops is very stupid, sluggish, and easily captured, for, when climbing the steep sides of the islet, 

 they may be literally walked over before any attempt is made on their part to waddle off. The egg, of which 

 we obtained a few, is white, notwithstanding Gould's statement to the contrary, that it is stained red. 

 (Described by Eamsay, loc. cit., p. 679.) The eggs are simply laid between tussocks of grass. In Gould's 

 figure the legs and feet are represented as of a peculiar green, and the iris of the eye yellow. Every example 

 collected by us, on the other hand, had these portions of the body black. Gould's representation is far from 

 a good one. 



Vol. ii. — 7 



