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at sea, hovering about the ship till darkness closes in the view, but always refusing to take the hook. 
Off the West Coast of New Zealand, in lat. 36° S., and about a hundred miles from land, numbers have 
been met with at one time, and no doubt its range extends far over the South Pacific. Mr. Keischek’s 
experience of the nesting-bird differs from Mr. Kirk’s, for he informs me that in every instance he 
found the old birds very fierce when their nest was invaded, scratching vigorously with their 
claws, which have extremely fine points and are capable of inflicting nasty wounds on the hand. 
On coming in from the sea, the old birds show great caution in approaching their nests by moon- 
light, making first a circuit in the air around the spot, then dropping suddenly to the ground 
and remaining a short time at the entrance, as if to make sure that all is safe before disappearing 
in their burrows. They have a deep call, only uttered when on the wing in the vicinity of 
the nest, and this may be heard both morning and evening all through the breeding-season. 
He writes * ; “ This Petrel is gregarious, and I have seen them in large flocks together resting on 
the water. Their power of flight is marvellous. In July 1879, outside the Kaipara, on the west 
coast of New Zealand, I had an opportunity of observing these birds, having to lay by outside the bar 
for several days, being unable to enter, as it was blowing one of the severest gales experienced in these 
seas. They cruised about, dipping the points of their wings at intervals in the water, then suddenly 
swooping down through the foaming waves for their prey ; rising with the next wave, and repeating 
their former action. From July to November these birds are always out at sea. In November they 
come ashore to their breeding-places, on the top of high and steep mountains, which they choose for 
the purpose of easier flight, as they have difficulty in ascending from the level ground. They are 
expert climbers. I saw them by the aid of their sharp claws, their bill and wings, climbing up trees 
out of the perpendicular, from which they flew away. In November 1882, on the eastern slope and 
near the centre of the Little Barrier or Hauturu Island, situated north of Auckland, at about 2300 
feet above sea-level, on a steep, precipitous ridge, I noticed my dog repeatedly setting at burrows, 
which, on examination, I found contained Procellaria parJcinsoni. They were clearing out their old 
burrows ; and staying to observe, I noticed them digging with their bills, removing the earth by a 
backward motion of their feet, till the burrow was cleansed. In most cases I found them working ; 
in others the burrows were clean and the refuse outside. Some burrows were in loose soil, others 
under the roots of trees and under stones, also in hollow trees. I have found them sometimes very 
far inland, and always on the tops of mountains. When they have finished cleaning out the burrows, 
which process male and female accomplish together, they remain quiet till the last rays of the sun 
have disappeared, then any one can hear their call, which is similar to that of the Black Swan ; and 
on coming out they stop a moment, pick up a few leaves or grass, and go back into the burrows ; this 
operation they repeat several times, and always on entering the chamber they make a peculiar noise 
together. After dark, both come out, rise and circle round, calling until they attract others ; and when 
a large flock is assembled, they fly away to their haunts on the ocean, returning before daylight. At 
this season, before they lay, they are very fat. When caught, on their return from the ocean, if they 
cannot protect themselves by scratching and biting, they expectorate a lot of oily matter on their 
assailant. The first time I caught one of these birds it treated me in that manner. In December 
1884, on the Waitakerei ranges, 1000 feet above sea-level, and twelve miles from the ocean, I found 
the female sitting on an egg, nearly hatched.” 
An egg in my son’s collection is broadly elliptical, measuring 2'7 inches in length by 2 in breadth ; 
originally white, it is much soiled over its entire surface by contact with the bird’s feet. Other 
specimens which I have examined are slightly narrower or more elliptical. 
* Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. xviii. pp. 87, 88. 
