NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 131 





 Puffinus creatopus Cooper (MSS.) Nov. Sp. 



Diagnosis. P. Puffini majoris statura, nee ei coloribus perdissimilis ; sed 

 rostro multo breviore, crassiore, tubulis nasalibus inflatis ; fere om- 

 nino nisi ungue flavescente-carneo ; pedibus brevioribus, graciliori- 

 bus, carneis ; tectricibus caudaa superioribus et inferioribus ex toto 

 bi uuneo-nigris ; remigibus primariis spatio albo basin versus interni 

 pogonii carentibus. 

 Habitat. South Pacific Coast of North America. 



Specimen typicum et uuicuin in mu-aeo Smithsoniano, (Catal. No. 31964,) 

 ex insula "San Nicholas " prope California, a Chirurgio J. Gr. Cuopero col- 

 lectum. (Calend Julii A. D. mdccclxiii.) 



Description. Form: Bill a little shorter than the head or tarsus, abont 

 two-thirds the middle toe and claw ; the most robust of the Puffinf-ae, being 

 especially large and swollen at the base, where it is as wide as high. The 

 culmen rises rapidly from the end of the nasal tubes to the strong, very con- 

 vex and much curved unguis ; the sides of the bill are considerably com- 

 pressed beyond the nostrils. Co - iimissure curved from the feathers to the un- 

 guis, the convexity looking downwards ; outline of the inferior mandibular 

 rami about straight. The basal tubes are very short, being hardly a fourth of 

 the length of culmen; they are unusua'ly elevated, turgid, and with a slight 

 median furrow ; very obliquely terminated ; the nares are elliptical in outline. 

 The feathers of the forhead run forward to form an acute angle on the me- 

 dian line. The tarsi are unusually weak and slender, though not very much com- 

 pressed, and are shorter than the middle toe without the claw. The outer toe 

 just barely exceeds the middle, but its claw is much shorter and weaker. The 

 tip of the inner claw falls short of the base of the middle one. The wings are 

 of the ordinary shape and dimensions, and have the usual proportionate length 

 of the primaries. The tail is of nrich the same length and has the same amount 

 of graduation of its lateral rectrices as in P. major. 



Color. The upper parts are of about the same shade of brown as in P. 

 major, and the feathers have similar lighter margins, the head, however, 

 having more decidedly a plumbeous cast. The upper tail coverts are entirely 

 deep broWnish-black, darker even than the rest of the upper parts, with no 

 vestige of white. The inner webs of the primaries are entirely brownish- 

 black to their very bases, with no indication of the white spaces which exist 

 in P. major. On the sides of the head and neck, the color of the upper parts 

 extends entirely round on to the chin and throat, having no distinct line of 

 demarcation, but very gradually and insensibly becoming more and more 

 mottled with white, until the latter becomes the predominating color ; on the 

 chin the plumbeous-black and the white are about equal in amouut. The 

 dark color does not extend further nor indeed so far on the sides of the breast 

 as on the sides of the neck. The lower eyelid is pure white. The sides under the 

 wings and the inferior surfaces of the wings are mottled with grayish-black 

 and white in about equal amount. The long axillary feathers are entirely gray- 

 ish-black, except just at their bases. The middle of the abdomen and the 

 circumanal region are variegated with grayish-black and white. The under 

 tail coverts are entirely fuliginous black, with somewhat of a grayish cast. 

 The nasal tubes, the culmen and unguis of the bill are brownish-black ; the 

 rest of the bill light-yellowish flesh color. The legs and feet are entirely 

 light flesh color. The claws are whitish with brown tips. 



Dimensions. "Length 19-OJ; extent of wings 45 - 00" (collector's label.) 

 Bill along culmen 1-60; along gape 2*30; from feathers on side of lower 

 mandible 1-50 ; height at base, -60; width about the same; length of nasal 

 tubes -40. Wing from the flexure 12-50. Tail : exterior feathers 4-00, me- 

 dian 5-00; tarsus 2-10; middle toe and claw 2-65; outer do 250, inner 

 do 2-10. 



Comparison icith allied species. The present species is so very peculiar in 



1864.] 



