MONOGRAPH OF THE PETRELS. 



Little Barrier, usually seeking holes at the base of the cliff near the sea, though the nests 

 near Opotiki prove that sea cliffs are not indispensable. The birds breed in companies, 

 sometimes four or five pairs occupying the same cavern, though each nest is placed 

 at the end of a separate burrow, some three or four feet in length, and terminating in an 

 oval chamber considerably smaller than that formed by Majaqueus parkinsoni. 



Numbers of the birds may be seen swarming about the cliffs after sunset, uttering 

 their cry of " Ohi, Ohi," but always circling in the air before they enter the burrows, 

 which, during the night, they frequently leave and return to again. 



The female performs the duty of incubation, while the male wanders about ; but, 

 when the young bird is hatched, she remains with it a few days, and after that both 

 parents go out to sea before sunrise, and remain absent till sunset, when they again 

 circle round the burrow and call to the young bird, who replies before they enter. 

 The ceremony of feeding is made to the accompaniment of a whimpering noise. 



The eggs are much sought after for the purposes of food, and dogs are employed to 

 hunt out the nests. According to some authorities, the dogs are severely punished by 

 the birds, while others say that, unless taken hold of, the latter retire to the furthest 

 corner of the burrow. 



The single white egg, varying from 2.6 inches by 1.75 inches to 2.75 inches by 

 1.95 inches, is placed on a small heap of dry leaves, but very little care is bestowed on 

 the nest itself. 



Adult male. General colour above sooty-brown, with a grey shading on the back, 

 which is much clearer on the sides of the face, forehead, and throat ; quills and 

 tail-feathers black, the primaries dull ashy at the base of the inner web, not forming a 

 white base ; the base of the body-feathers evidently white ; " bill and feet black " 

 (Buller). Total length about 15 inches ; culmen, 1.35 ; wing, 11.6 ; tail, 4.6 ; 

 tarsus, 1.65 ; middle toe and claw, 2.25. 



The late Sir Walter Buller describes the nestling as being " covered with dingy 

 slaty-grey down, the black feathers first appearing on the head, and in four or five 

 parallel series on the cheeks. The down is long, thick, and fluffy, especially on the 

 under-parts, and the bill and feet are perfectly black." He adds : " There is a full- 

 grown fledgling in the Auckland Museum, in which the plumage is as in the adult, but 

 with long thick down of a sooty-grey colour still adhering to the breast, and some 

 paler-coloured down on the throat." 



The specimen described and figured was obtained by Gould in Lat. 31° 45' S., 

 Long. 5° 43' W. ; it was formerly in our collection, and is now in the British Museum. 

 As pointed out by Professor Giglioli (I.e.) the bill varies considerably in size. 



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