292 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



the various species remains in a somewhat hazy condition until more material is 

 available. 



All this must be borne in mind in connection with the records of D. exulans 

 throughout the voyage of the Scotia. Godman adds on p. 323 that he thinks it 

 highly probable that the albatros of Gough Island (this in reference to Mr Eagle 

 Clarke's paper, Section IX.) will be found to be D. chionoptera rather than D. 

 exulans. 



It seems improbable that the fully adult white-winged examples of D. chionoptara, 

 if present in numbers, could have been overlooked by such competent observers as 

 several of the staff of the Scotia. 



The day must be looked forward to when the numerous problems connected with 

 the albatroses and petrels of the southern oceans may be solved by the despatch of an 

 expedition having this as one of its main objects. 



Three skins of D. exulans were brought back by the Scotia. Data of two of these 

 are unfortunately lacking at the present time (1912). The description and dimensions 

 of all three may be given : 



(a) Immature skin. "No. 100." Wing 23 ins. ; culmen 5'6 ins. ; tarsus 4'2 ins. ; 

 mid-toe 6'25 ins. Bill pale yellow ; forehead, sides of head, and throat white ; 

 wings above, and scapulars, entirely blackish brown ; crown and rest of upper 

 parts, fore-neck and breast, and flanks, lighter brown ; axillaries and whole of 

 under wing-coverts white ; middle of abdomen nearly white, fine brownish 

 vermiculations on the thighs. 



(b) Adult, "7th May 1904."* Wing 24 ins.; culmen 6'5 ins.; tarsus 4'6 ins.; 

 mid-toe 6 '5 ins. Bill pale yellow. Longer scapulars, and all upper surface of 

 wing, blackish brown, except for some white mottlings on the coverts forming an 

 irregular patch near the elbow-joint. Under wing-coverts and axillaries white ; 

 head, fore-neck, and belly white, but a mottled brown and white patch on the 

 crown ; back of the head, and all the rest of the upper parts, chest, flanks, 

 thighs, and under tail-coverts white, closely vermiculated with fine transverse 

 brown lines ; tail grey-brown. 



(c) Adult. Unlabelled. Wing 23'75 ins. ; culmen 5 '9 ins. ; tarsus 4'7 ins. ; mid- 

 toe 67 ins. Colouring as in the last, except that the vermiculated parts are 

 much whiter in appearance, owing to the brown lines being much further apart. 



After Gough Island was left behind, a few examples of Priojinus cinereus were seen 

 daily up to May 1st (39 30' S., 10 30' E.). These were probably the last met with, 

 although two of the specimens of this species collected by the Scotia, at present in the 

 Royal Scottish Museum, are labelled "near Ascension." The original labels of these skins 

 are lost, and it is highly probable that this locality is due to a mistake, as the Zoological 

 Log makes it clear that no petrels of any sort (except a few Storm-Petrels) were obtained 



* At this date the Scotia was lying at Cape Town. This is probably one of three examples which were shot on 

 April 29lh. 



