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 315 THE CONDOR Vol. XVII 9. 0ceanodroma leucorhoa. Leach Petrel. Leach's Petrel is said by the natives to nest only on South Island, and this appears to be the case as no evi- dence of their dwelling places was detected during numerous excursions over Forrester and Lawrie islands. On the southern island, however, their name is legion. Almost as soon as a landing was made small openings were noticed in the moss covering the rocks, and while these appeared surprisingly similar to those made by mice a minute's work was all that was necessary to disclose their true character. Others were half hidden in the grass and among the underbrush, and from the central valley to the summits of both hills the soil was riddied with holes. In various places from four to seven were counted in a space a yard square, and one must tread cautiously indeed to escape break- ing through the burrows at every step. At the time of the first landing, June 30, the birds living in the comparatively dry soil covering the rocks had com- pleted the. clearing of the burrows and the building of the nests, and in most Fig. 17. BURROWS OF THE LEACH PETREL O1 FORRESTER ISLAlX*D instances had deposited the single egg characteristic of the genus. In the underbrush the burrows had been cleared, the refuse material had been dragged to the front of the entrance, and the nests had been completed in many in- stances. However the breeding season is not sharply defined since a few fresh eggs were found on July 19 and 20. The burrow leads inward from the entrance for varying distances, two feet being about the average length. In extreme eases tunnets have been opened having a length of fully .six feet, and from two to five birds occupy this in common, each nest being placed in one of the lateral offshoots from the main trunk. Such extensive residences have evidently been vacated by Cassin Auklets as one young bird of this species was found in a burrow with five petrels. The nest is a flat, thin pad composed of fragments of grass, bits of moss and small twigs of spruce or salmon berry. As is well known the egg is