Publications Archive

The period covered by the laying of the eggs was not observed in any of these three nestings. It is obvious that such a record will be very difficult to obtain. Incubation Periods. – No. 1 nest, either 29 or 30 days. No. 2 nest, 28 and 29 days, or more. The bird was already incubating when found by Mr. Stidolph, so the period could easily have been longer. No. 3 nest, no record; nest found after incubation had well begun. Hatching to Flying Periods. – No. 1 nest, something under 49 days; not a complete record; date of first flying was missed. No. 2 nest, one chick flying weakly at 50 days; one scarcely flying at all at 50 days. No. 3 nest, one chick last seen at 46 days; no sign of flying; it did not even extend its wings when running at its utmost so should have taken well over 50 days to fly had it lived. The early nesting record of 1949, two eggs on September 11, has apparently been improved upon by one day, i.e., two eggs on September 10, 1950. It appears that this early nesting is not general. Buller, quoting Potts, states that eggs and young have been seen in October and November. Guthrie-Smith (“Mutton Birds and Other Birds,” pp. 102-104) states that they arrive on the breeding grounds on Stewart Island about the middle of October. However, some must arrive earlier, since he found a tiny chick on November 7. From the evidence obtained at Clevedon it would seem that the first egg of the clutch would have been laid about October 3 and the birds would have been present for some time before that date. Falla, 1940, mentions territorial attachment from September 1st onward. The dates given by these writers probably indicate the normal commencement of the breeding season.