Sydney Porter—Notes on New Zealand Birds 141


breeders. Though this is hardly the place to dwell at any length

on these peculiar reptiles I cannot resist from making mention of

what must be one of the rarest forms of animal life now inhabiting

the earth.


To get back to the birds, these do not seem to resent the presence

of these strange creatures and it has been stated that the Tuataras

will attack anyone interfering with the nesting birds. It appeared

to us that reptiles did not actually use the same nesting burrow as

the Shearwaters, but lived in a joint burrow which had the same

entrance. We found several eggs which appeared to have been

sucked, but whether it was done by the Tuataras I could not say.

No doubt if they did this the birds would resent their intrusion,

which they certainly do not appear to do.


Upon one of the islands there had been a copper mine which

had been abandoned for many years, and in the “ bush ” had been a

shack used by the miners. This had long since disappeared and

only a number of rusted corrugated iron sheets, which had formerly

been the roof, marked its site. Under these iron sheets several

Petrels had found convenient nesting sites. We released a couple

of birds which we found under one of the sheets, in order to see

how they would take off, but in this w T e were disappointed, for the

birds shuffled with the aid of their long wings down the hill-side

until lost to view.


One day a friend and I thought we would spend the night on

the island, so with the aid of a few T blankets from the yacht we made

our beds under clumps of “ flax ” on the beach. In the evening

just before dark fell the Petrels became very numerous, flying to

and fro from the forest-covered hill-sides. Shortly before midnight

they began to call. Of all the bird sounds I have ever heard these

were the most weird. Perhaps the surroundings accentuated it, but

all night long the ghostly black forms of these large Petrels flitted

across the star-spangled sky; there was not a breath of air or a

movement on the water except the gentle ebb of the tide as it lapped

on the stones only a few* feet away. Before, all was silent, then

they started, first one and then the other until the noise increased

so much in volume that sleep was out of the question. The cry was



