396 THE TUBE-NOSED SWl.NLMERS — TUBINARES. 



CEstrelata FisherL 



FISHER'S PETREL. 



(Eslrelata Fishcrl, Ridgw. Pr. U. S. Nat. Miis. Vol. 5, June 26, 1883, 650 (Kadiak, Alaska). 



Sp. Char. Adult? (type of the species, No. 89431, U. S. Nat. Miis. Kadiak Island, Alaska, 

 June 11, 1882 ; William J. Fisher) : Head, neck, and lower j)arts pure white, but this unvaried 

 only on sides of forehead, lores, malar region, chin, throat, jugulum, and crissuni ; feathers of 

 middle of forehead (longitudinally) and fore part of crown, marked with a central spot of slate-color, 

 the feathers of tlie hinder part of crown and occipiit similaily marked, but the spots becoming 

 gradually more transverse posteriorly, and, at the same time, the lighter borders of the feathers 

 more grayish ; a blackish spot immediately before and beneath the eye ; sides of breast washed 

 with grayish, and belly and Hanks overlaid by a nearly uniform wash of smoky plumbeous, all the 

 feathers being very pure snow-white immediately beneath the surface ; many of the feathers 

 of the sides barred with plumbeous-gray ; anterior under wing-coverts dark sooty gray or 

 slate-color, the coverts along the outer margin of the under side of the wing mainly of the same 

 color ; rest of wing-lining, with imier webs of primaries, uniform pure white, the ([uills having 

 merely a narrow, but abruptly defined, dusky stripe next the shaft, the white portion being mar- 

 gined for a short distance along the terminal portion with grayish ; axillars mainly plumbeous, or 

 barred with the same. Nape, back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts plumbeous, darkest 

 on the lower part of the rump, the feathers with distinct dusky shaft-streaks, except on the nape. 

 Tail white, with very irregular zigzag bars of plumbeous-gray, the middle rectrices mainly gray 

 (the central pair, however, are wanting). Lesser wing-coverts dark slate (many shades darker than 

 the back) ; greater coverts, secondaries, and tertials plumbeous-gray, more silvery toward edge of 

 wing, very distinctly edged with pure white ; three outer primaries and primary coverts slate-black, 

 the inner ([uills gradually more grayish, and narrowly bordered with white. Bill wholly deep 

 black ; tarsi, most of basal phalanx of inner too, and basal portion of webs, light brownish (flesh- 

 colur in life ?), rest of feet dusky. Wing, 10.15 inches ; tail, 4.00, slightly graduated ; culmen, 

 1.00 ; depth of bill at base, .40, width at base, .40 ; tarsus, 1.35 ; middle toe, 1.40. 



This elegant Petrel, probably the handsomest of the genus, belongs to the delicately formed, 

 slender-billed group containing CE. Cooki, Gray, (E. cjavia, Forst., CE. desolata, Gmel., and 

 CE. Defilippiana, Gigl. & Salvad. It differs from all the allied species, however, in so many 

 mai-ked peculiarities of dimensions and of coloration, that comparison is scarcely needed with 

 any. To (E. Defilipinana there is some resemblance, but the differences are many and striking, as 

 follows : — 



CE Defilippiana. Lower parts pure white, merely tinged laterally with cinereous ; greater 

 wing-coverts, secondaries, and tertials dusky, edged terminally with grayish ; six middle 

 rectrices uniform cinereous, the outer pair with exterior webs uniform white (?). Tarsi 

 pale bluish. Wing, 9.00 inches ; tail, 3.80 ; culmen, 1.04 ; tarsus, 1.07 ; middle toe, 

 with claw, 1.40. Hah. Eastern South Pacific Ocean (off coast of Peru). 



CE. Fisheri. Lower parts overlaid by a wash of smoky plumbeous, nearly uniform on 

 abdomen and Hanks ; greater wing-coverts, secondaries, and tertials, silvery plumbeous, 

 broadly edged with pure white ; only the two middle tail-feathers uniform cinereous, the 

 outer webs of all the rest Avhite zigzagly barred, or transversely vermiculated with cin- 

 ereous. Tarsi pale brownish (flesh-colored in life?). Wing, 10.15 inches; tail, 4.00; 

 culmen, 1.00; tarsus, 1.35 ; middle toe, with claw, 1.70. Hob. Eastern North Pacific 

 Ocean (off coast of Alaska). 



The most nearly related species with which we have been able to compare the present bird is 

 (E (jnlaris, Peale. The latter, however, is very distinct in coloration (agreeing only in the 

 color of the under surface of the wing), has the bill much stouter, and the tarsi and toes decidedly 

 shorter. 



