Mr. E. Newton’s Ornithological Notes from Mauritius. 181 
that had started in life on its own account, though I have no 
doubt many had already done so. Most of the eggs had been 
incubated some time; in fact, on blowing fifty or so of them, I 
hardly think that I found half a dozen fresh, the majority being 
within a few days of hatching. I was rather short of baskets 
for carrying eggs, and consequently I did not get as many as I 
might have done. Certainly I had been told that the eggs 
might be picked up by the thousand, but I had not believed the 
statement. This species is much finer and larger than the Yel¬ 
low-billed one (P. flavirostris , Brandt). Of this there were a few 
about the island; but I did not find a single egg, or see a bird on 
the ground. When on the wing, the fine rosy colour suffused 
over the whole under surface of the Red-tailed species comes 
out very well. 
On the north-east of the island, where there is more of a cliff 
than anywhere else, is a tolerably large colony of Petrels (perhaps 
the Puffinus chlororhynchus of Lesson), called c Fous } —dark- 
brown birds about the size of Puffinus anglorum, with yellowish- 
white legs and feet. I dare say they are spread over the 
greater part of the island, but there are more at this one spot 
than any other. They are as tame as the P ailles-en-queue, but 
not so harmless. They breed under stones, and bite most 
awfully if they get a chance. The only way to get them out 
and take their single egg—for they, too, lay but one—is to 
contrive to turn them round so that one can grab their folded 
wings and tail. If dropped on the ground they will run about, 
and for some time will not try to fly ; but if thrown into the 
air, they will glide down gently towards the sea. On going 
near any rock where there may be a dozen or two, one bird 
seems to give the alarm, and a chorus of the most extraordinary 
sounds immediately proceeds from under ground. I hardly know 
what to compare it to, as there is nothing like it except, perhaps, 
the noise made by cats when they set up their backs and squall; 
and though there may not be a thousand, as the imagina¬ 
tive boy in the story averred, yet “ father’s old Tom and the 
neighbour’s dead ’un” could never make the row these few birds 
do. It is kept up for a minute or two, and increases when the 
individuals are hauled out in the manner above described. All 
