405 



Incubation had already begun on the 24th March. The nest consisted of a few dry twigs, and 

 was always placed in a hole or under a projecting portion of the rock — seldom more than a foot 

 from the surface, and never out of reach of the hand. On being caught the bird made no noise 

 and offered no resistance. The egg does not in the least resemble that of a Hen, being much 

 more fragile and more highly polished. A number of eggs were broken in endeavouring to 

 remove the bird from the nest ; they varied a good deal in size and form, some being quite 

 rounded, and others elongated. Three of them are said to have had the following measure- 

 ments : 2-32 inches by 1-41 ; 2"04 by 1-30 ; 2-01 by 1-45. Both sexes incubate. 



" The mournful note of these birds could be heard at all hours of the night by those 

 anchored in the night-time near one of the Keys on which they were breeding. During the day 

 they could be seen feeding in large flocks, generally out of sight of land. They did not fly 

 round much, but remained quiet on the surface of the water. Dr. Bryant did not see one of 

 them on the banks ; and his observations were in conflict with those of Audubon, as he never 

 saw them dive, or apparently catch any fish, though they were often in company with Boobies 

 and different species of Terns, all of which were actively employed in fishing. Between Andros 

 and the bank he saw on the 26th of April a large flock of this species covering the surface of 

 the water, or hovering over it, for an extent of a square mile. Their number must have been 

 enormous. In the stomachs of all of those he examined — nine in number — he found a mass 

 largely composed of the scales of small fish and the mandibles of squids and cuttle-fish. 



"Four eggs of this species (Smithsonian Institution, No. 1714), obtained by Dr. Bryant, are 

 of a clear chalky-white color, exactly oval in shape, and have the following measurements: 

 2T0 by 1-45 inches; 2'05 by 1-40; 2-00 by 1-40; 2-00 by 1-40." 



Two eggs in my collection, for which I am indebted to the late Dr. Brewer, which were, he 

 informed me, taken by Dr. Bryant on the Bahamas, resemble the eggs of Puffinus anglorum, 

 being pure white, but are considerably smaller, measuring 2T0 by T42 and 2-0 by 1-4 inches 

 respectively. 



The specimen figured and described is in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser, 

 a, ad., b,jun. Bermuda, 1859 {Hon. J. H. Darrell). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram, 

 a. Castle Harbour, Bermuda, May 17th. 1849 {Sir J. W. Orde). b. Pelew Islands {Dr. O. Finsch). 



