. Ibis . tunnel went in for another 6 feet, and contained atthe end a Spectacled Petrel [Majaqueus cequinoctialis) upon anest without an egg. The other branch had a dome-shapedcavity some 18 inches from the confluence, in which sat aShort-tailed Petrel without an egg. The nest indicated thatthe bird was a fully-fledged young one. On squeezing itsbreast there was no resistance, and not even a cry was uttered. ffisTRELATA MOLLIS (Gould); Salviu, Cat. B. XXV. p. were not obtained, but the birds often accom-panied the brig. So far as I could recognize the species Birds of Kerguelen I
. Ibis . tunnel went in for another 6 feet, and contained atthe end a Spectacled Petrel [Majaqueus cequinoctialis) upon anest without an egg. The other branch had a dome-shapedcavity some 18 inches from the confluence, in which sat aShort-tailed Petrel without an egg. The nest indicated thatthe bird was a fully-fledged young one. On squeezing itsbreast there was no resistance, and not even a cry was uttered. ffisTRELATA MOLLIS (Gould); Salviu, Cat. B. XXV. p. were not obtained, but the birds often accom-panied the brig. So far as I could recognize the species Birds of Kerguelen Island, 25 while on the wing, the band across the chest shows severalvariations in depth of colour. OssiFRAGA GiGANTEA (Gm.) ; Salvin, Cat. B. xxv. p. 422. My best opportunities of watching the Giant Petrel were inthe rookeries (see fig. 2), and on the feeding-grounds newlyprovided for it by the carcasses or seais w^hich were lying soon detect these, and assemble a few hundred yards away Fi-. Rookery uf Os^ifraya (jiijuntea in Azoretla. on the water, afterwards approaching singly, little by little,with due caution. They seem to feel safer with both wingsheld in a crescent form, for they can thus sooner get away \uth 26 Mr. R. Hall on the their bulky bodies ; and their wings are held in more varying attitudes than is the case with any other bird observed frightened from the carcasses they run off as quicklyas their legs will carry them to the water, then swim a shortdistance^ and either fly or swim farther out, in a flock of from40 to 60 birds. I do not incline to the belief that these birdshave gorged themselves so much that they are incapable offlying, because many times, in the rookeries by the watersedge, I have noted them to act in this manner when they hadnot fed for an hour or more. Certainly, when they haveworked head and shoulders into a seals carcass and havebecome bespattered with blood, they object to fly unlesshard pressed j but my observatio
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1859