The following notes have been sent to me by the Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain. 
Pterodroma mollis (fees). SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL 
Pterodroma mollis Mathews, Birds Austr., Vol. II., pt. 2, p. 157, pi. 86, July 31st, 1912. 
The breeding-site is on grassy slopes on the face of steep cliffs, sometimes between 3,000 and 4,500 feet 
above sea-level. 
Nest. An enlarged chamber at the end of a burrow about two to three feet long, in which is placed 
some dried grass and a few feathers. 
Egg. Clutch one. White, with a few chalky excrescences. The grain is fine. Average measure¬ 
ments of three eggs, 55.6 mm. by 41.2. One egg measured 55.5 mm. by 41.2 and weighed 
2.45 grammes. 
Breeding-season. June (Madeira). Young birds in July. 
The only definite proof of the breeding of this race comes to us from the 
Madeira group. Padre Ernesto Schmitz had received several specimens from 
the fishermen on the Desertas, and in 1894 an egg w'as brought to him which 
had been taken from a hole in a steep cliff on the Deserta Island of Bugio on 
October 14th, 1894. This egg proved to be very highly incubated and the 
embryo was removed and preserved in spirit. The egg was not unlike that 
of Puffinus pujjinus, but the breeding-season of this species occurs in the spring, 
and the egg in question was found in October. The formation of the bill and 
nostrils in the embryo, however, furnished positive proof as to the correctness 
of the identification. Nothing further was discovered as to the breeding of 
this species in Madeira until July 18th, 1903, when some peasants brought 
into Funchal four live birds (two males and two females) which they had captured 
in their nesting-holes in the mountains between S. Antonio and Curral. 
This furnished a clue as to where the birds should be looked for, as the 
two pairs in question were evidently about to breed, when captured. It was 
not, however, till September 13th, 1905, that further evidence was obtained. 
On this occasion several pairs were found breeding close together on a small 
grassy slope on a steep cliff about 1,000 metres above sea-level at a place called 
Risco do Poio de Louro, and a well-developed young bird in down and an 
infertile egg were brought to Padre Schmitz. The burrows were described 
as about 70 centimetres deep and leading into a wider chamber, and the nest 
material consisted merely of dry grass with some feathers of the old bird. 
In the following year a further visit was paid to this colony by one of the 
seminarists on June 10th. He found four burrows, half hidden under grass 
tussocks, varying from 50 to 80 centimetres in length, and a bird in each hole, 
which bit his hand when introduced. When dragged out the birds uttered 
frightened cries. They were very fat and one contained a considerable quantity 
of oil. Two of the holes contained eggs, but one of these was unfortunately 
159 
