( 194 ) 



The eggs seemed to be dropped at raudom between the rocks and bnshes, and 

 each "clutch " consisted of one single egg only, but all tliat were found were addled. 



It is remarkable that Dr. Baur, who stayed on Hood Island from July oth to 

 8th, did not come across any albatrosses, nor does he mention having seen any 

 at all. 



Genus PUFFINUS Briss. 



Puffima Brisson, llm. VI. p. 131 (17(50). 



Generally distributed over the seas of the world. 



1. Puffinus obscui'us subalaris Kidgw. (ex Townsend JIS.). 



Pujfinus timlMomx ? (non Pelzeln), Townsend in Pmr. U.S. .Xnl. Mn^. XIII. p. I4L' (18:"0, and in 



Bull. MuH. Comj,. Z„i,l. XXVII. p. 126 (1895). 

 Puffinnx ohxciinis, Salvin in Prw. Zuol. Sm-. Loml. p. 431 (1883); Salvin in ('<('. IS. Bel. .\fu.<. XXV. 



p. 882 (partim). 

 I'lijiiiiis gtihiihiris, Ridgway (ex Townsend's MS.) in Prur. U.S. Xtil. .Uiis. XIX. p. (J5(l. 



In determining the shearwater of the Galapagos Islands, we were obliged to 

 study the entire group of little shearwaters, to which this form belongs ; and we 

 have come to the result, that they were not fully understood by Salvin, when he 

 wrote the " Pnffiuidae " in Vol. XXV. of the Catalogue of Birds. They are a 

 difficult grou]), and material from many places is wanted, but we believe that 

 it may be possible for the present to distinguish the following forms. 



(I. PuflSnus obscuruB obsciirus (Om.). 



Dusl.i/ Pili-il, Latham, Gtn. Stjii. III. p. 41G (ITKo) (Christmas Island in thu Pacific Uceaul. 

 Prncellaria ubscura, Gmelin, Stjst. Nat. I. p. 5.50 (1788) (ex Latham). 



Puffinus obsainis, Salvin, Oil. R. Bvil. .Mux. XXV. p. 382 (partim, specimens >! to w only, ii !). 

 Pufiiius rlichniiis, Hartlaub & Finsch in Proc. Zool. Soi: Loml. 1872 p. 108 (Pelew Islands). 

 Pvjfiiius opklhomrluf. vur. miiim; Hartlaub in Pror. Zuol. Soi: 18G7 p. 382, H. & V. in i.e. 1808, pp. 'J 



and 371. Finsch in J. F. 0. 1870, p. 371. 

 P. tfiiebrosus Pelzeln (ex batterer) in Ibis p. 47 (1873). Cf. Finsch in ./num. .l/'i.s. liml. VIII. p. 4.") 



(1875). 



This is the Pacific form, inhabiting the central portions of the Pacific Ocean, 

 the Fanning gronji (Christmas Island), Pelew Islands, C^aroHues (a series from Huk 

 in the Triug ]\lnscum), probably down to the New Hebrides and Samoa. 



This form is distinctly brownish slate above, not in the least bluish, 'flie 

 brownish slaty colour reaches to the base of the bill, covering the lores and running 

 from there along the sides of the head under the eye, to the ear-coverts, but being 

 slightly mottled with whitish under the eyes, on the car-coverts and sides of the 

 neck. This colour also encroaches on the sides of the chest, where it forms a 

 distinct patch. The primaries are dnsky black, the inner webs, except near the 

 shaft, deep smoky l)rowa, but not in the least whitish. Axillaries white. Under 

 wing-coverts white, except a very marked blackish line round the outer margin. 

 Under tail-coverts blackish smoky-brown, the shorter central bunch white, the next 

 ones varied, nearly all the longer ones with narrow white tips. 



There can be no doubt that F. tenebrosus Pelz. is the same iis our P. ohscurus. 

 (See also Finsch, I.e.) 



