NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 1G7 



Procellaria arid, Schlegel, Mon. Proc. Mus. Pays-Bas, 1863, p. 18. 

 Balobsena typica, Bp. C. A. 1856, ii. p. 194. 



Habitat. Australian Seas. 



1 have not been able to find where thig species is originally described by 

 Mr. Gould, if it has been at all more than named by him. From Dr. Sehlegel's 

 description* of typical specimens received by him from Mr. Gould, it appears 

 to have exactly the colors, and the development of the lamina: of the bill which 

 obtain in P. turtnr ; and to be distinguished from that species by its smaller 

 size; and a very slender bill, wider than high at the base. 



Synonymy. It is a little uncertain to which species the P. turlur of Kuhl' 3 

 Monograph, No. 14, fig. 8, really refers. The figure of the bill agrees quite 

 nearly with a specimen of the turtur Gould, of the preceding article of this 

 paper; but the description given by Dr. Kuhl, and especially the measure- 

 ments rather seem to indicate the present species, ariel, Gould. But Dr. Kuhl 

 also gives the measurements " Avis aliquantum major," which rather are those 

 of the true turtur. There are cited Bank's turtur, pi. 15, and also Pr. velox 

 Banks, pi. 16, as synonyma ; the first of which (according to most authors) 

 representing the turtur of Mr. Gould, and of this paper ; the second indicating 

 the true ariel of Gould. Under the circumstances, it is evident that Kubl's 

 turlur may be, without violence, referred to either of the two species; and 

 authors are about equally divided in opinion regarding it. 



Bonaparte's Conspectus does not admit ariel as a valid species ; but has 

 instead a certain Halobiena typica, Bp. based upon a specimen in the Paris 

 Museum. He cites "turtur" Lesson, Kuhl, fig. 8, and "velox?" Banks, pi. 16, 

 as synonyms; and his diagnosis presents no points forbidding the reference of 

 this H. typica to the Prion ariel of Gould, with which Dr. Schlegel considers 

 it as synonymous. 



? PSEUDOPRION BREVIROSTRIS (Gould). 



Prion brevirostris, Gould, P. Z. S., 1855, p. 88, pi. 93. 



" Upper surface delicate blue ; edge of the shoulder, the scapularies, outer 

 margins of the external primaries, and tips of the middle tail feathers black : 

 lores, sides of the head and all the under surface white, stained with blue ou 

 the flanks and under tail coverts ; bill light blue, deepening into black on the 

 sides of the mandible and at the tip, and with a black line along the side of 

 the under mandible; feet light blue; interdigital membranes flesh color. 



Length 10J inches ; bill j| ; wing6f; tail 3^; tarsi 1]." 

 I am only acquainted with this supposed species by the plate and descrip- 

 tion of Mr. Gould, above cited, and can offer no opinion regarding it. Tliu 

 description does not indicate any tangible points of difference from P. ariel. 

 By Gray, and, I believe, also by the majority of writers, it is considered as a 

 synonym of P. ariel. 



PRION Lacepede. 

 Procellaria sp. Auct. 



Prion, Lacepede, Mem. de 1'Inst., 18001801, p. 514. (Gray). 

 Pachyptila, Illiger, Prod., 1811, p. 274, No. 132. 

 Priamphus, Rafinesque, 1815, fide Bp. 



The essential characters of this genus lie in the peculiar shape of the bill 

 and the coriiplete development of the serrated laminae, which are the dis- 

 tinguishing features of the group of which it is typical. The modifications to 

 which the bill is subjected produce a result which, compared with other Pro- 

 cellaridie, may be likened to that seen in the genus Cuncroma among the 



* Schlegel 1. c. "Semblable a la Procrtlarii turtur, egaleruent par rapport aux lamelles des 

 mandibules; mais de taille mons forte, et a bee plus i'aible. Aile 6 pouces 2 lignes ; peinte dn 

 l'aile 2 pouce 3 lignes. Queue : pennes mitoyennes 2 pnuces et 8 a 10 lignes: peunes externea 2 

 ponces et5 a 7 lignes. Bee: longueur 9 a 10 lignes: hauteur 2 lignes et demie : largeur 3 lignes 

 et demie a 4 lignes. Tube nasal, 2 lignes. Tarse 12 a 13 lignes. Doigt du niileau 12 a 13 lignes. 

 Individus de Mers de l'Australie obtenus en 1S63 de Mr. Gould." 



1868.1 



