BIRDS IN THE GULF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 86, 13 April 1931, Page 6

BIRDS IN THE GULF.

I have read with interest the article in a recent Supplement by Mr. A. T. Pyeroft 1 on the presence of mutton birds in the Hauraki Gulf. It might be of interest to your readers to know that there are at present a very large number of mutton birds working the gulf. I have noted the presence of, and actually been in amongst, a very large flock of these birds running into several thousands in number, but these are not the birds referred to by your correspondent, Mr. W. A. Heap. The large brown bird that he refers to is the Arctic skua gull; these, too, are present in large numbers in the gulf a I the present time and can be seen almost every day pursuing the small white-fronted tern till the tern disgorge their catch. The second bird which your correspondent saw-from a distance was more likely the mutton bird. On occasions I have observed one or two of these flying together, but in the main they seem to keep together in large flocks. I should like to take this opportunity, to ask for the name of any book dealing with New Zealand marine lifer particularly one describing the species of sharks found in New Zealand coastal raters. A. A. POND.