BBOWN-HEADED PETREL. 
All that is known regarding the habits of this bird on Lord Howe Island 
is contained in Mr. Hull’s two papers, above noted : — 
It breeds on Mount Gower ... in fairly large numbers . . . frequenting the top and 
south-western slope, at an altitude of over 2,000 ft. above sea-level. Formerly, it is stated, 
this bird bred lower down, but the pigs drove them to less accessible situations . . . [But 
later] One of these slopes known as the “Lower Road” about 300 feet above sea level, was 
the locality from which my bird and eggs were taken, but breeding places are found right 
up to the plateau at the top of the mountain. 
Concerning the habits of the bird on Norfolk Island, the only account is 
that in Hunter’s Historical Account of Port Jackson, etc., pp. 181 and 315: — 
. . . There are also a species of birds which burrow in the ground like rabbits where 
they hatch their eggs and rear their young ; they are web-footed, which is rather 
extraordinaiy, and their bill is like that of other sea-fowl, but they have not the least 
fishy taste, and their flesh is very fine. These birds never quit their holes till sunset, 
from which time until midnight . . . the air is full of them ; they afforded us many 
fresh meals. In the month of April we foimd that Mount Pitt, which is the highest 
ground on the Island, was during the night crowded with birds. This hiU is as fuU 
of holes as any rabbit warren ; in these holes at this season these birds burrow and 
make their nests, and as they are an aquatic bird they are, during the da3rtime, frequently 
at sea in search of food. As soon as it is dark they hover in vast flocks over the ground 
where their nests are. Our people (I mean seamen, mariners and convicts) who are sent 
out in parties to provide birds for the general benefit, arrive upon the ground soon after 
dusk, where they light small fires which attract the attention of the bir^, and they drop 
down out of the air as fast as the people can take them up and kill them. When they 
are upon the groimd the length of their wings prevents them being able to rise, and until 
they can ascend an eminence they are unable to recover the use of their wings. For this 
purpose nature has provided them with a strong, sharp and hooked bill, and in their heel 
a sharp spur, with the assistance of which, and the strength of their bill, they have been 
seen to climb the stalk of a tree sufficiently high to throw themselves upon the wing. This 
bird, when deprived of its feathers, is about the size of a pigeon, but when clothed, is 
considerably larger, for their feathers are exceedingly thick ; they are webb-footed, and 
of a rusty black colour. They make their holes upon the hills for breeding their young 
in ; they lay but one egg, and that is full as large as a duck’s egg. They were at 
the end of May as plentiful as if none had been caught, although for two months before 
there had not been less taken than from two to three thousand birds every night. Most of 
the females taken in May were with egg, which really fills the whole cavity of the body, 
and is so heavy that I think it must fatigue the bird much in flying. This Bird of 
Providence, which I may with great propriety call it, appeared to me to resemble that 
seabird in England called the Puffin ; they had a strong fishy taste, but our keen appetites 
relished them very well ; the eggs were excellent. 
As a footnote is added, “ For a further discription, and an engraving of this 
bird, see the Norfolk Island Petrel in Phillips’ Voyage, 4to edition.” 
I think this is the most suitable place to deal with Gmelin’s Procellaria alba 
and Solander’s P. sandaliata, as these have been mixed up with P. pMllipii 
Gray and P. neglecta Schlegel. \ 
Latham {Gen. Syn. Birds, Vol. III., pt. ii., p. 400, 1785) described 
the White-breasted Petrel as follows : “ Length sixteen inches. Bill one and 
a half inch long, hooked at the tip, and black ; the head, neck, and upper parts 
of the body, dusky brown, nearly black ; on the throat a whitish patch ; 
breast, belly and vent, white ; under tail coverts cinereous and white mixed ; 
149 
