PROCELLARIIDvE — THE PETRELS — OCEANODROMA. 



413 



Two species of this genus are known, distinguished by the following characters : 



1. O. furcata. Bluish ashy, the orbital region and wings (except greater coverts) dusky. 



Hah. North Pacific. 



2. O. Hornbyi. Forehead, cheeks, nuchal collar, and lower parts -white ; quills black • rest 



of plumage dark gray, including a jugular band. Hah. North Pacific. 



Oceanodroma furcata. 



THE FORK-TAILED PETREL. 



Procellaria furcata, Gmel. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 561. 



Thalassidroma furcafa, GovLD, Voy. Sulphur, Birds, 1844, 50, pi. 33. — Cassin, Illustr. B. Cal 



Tex. etc. 1855, 274, pi. 47. — Lawi;. in Baird"s B. N. Am. 1858, 829. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. 



B. 1859, no. 640. 

 Occajwdroma furcata, Bonap. Consp. II. 1856, 194. — CouES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1864, 74- 



Key, 1872, 329 ; Check List, 1873, no. 591 ; ed. 2, 1882, no. 826. — Ridgw, Norn. N. Am. B.' 



1881, no. 726. 

 Procellaria orientalis, Pallas, Zoog. Rosso-As. II. 1826, 815. 

 " T/ialassidroma cincrca, Gould." (Bonap.) 

 Thalassidroma 2ilumbca, Peale, Zool. E.xpl. Exp. Birds, 1848, 292. 



Hab. North Pacific Ocean, south to coast of Oregon. 



Sp. Char. Adult: Fine light cinereous, fading gradually to Avhite on the chin and throat, 

 anal region, and crissum ; orbital region, longer scapulars, inner wing-coverts, anterior and outer 

 lesser coverts, alulaj, primary coverts, and remiges grayish dusky; central lesser, middle, and 

 inner greater coverts, and tertials broadly edged with ashy white. Lining of the \;m" clouded 



\)'M''!i;^''' 



with grayish dusky and ashy white, the former predominating. Bill wholly deep black ; iris 

 dark brown ; legs and feet dusky brown. Younger : Sinular, but colors much more dingy, with 

 little if any of a bluish cast. 



Length, about 8.50 to 9.00 inches ; extent, 18.25 to 19.00 ; wing, 5.95-6.40 ; tail, 3.75-4.00, 

 forked for about 1.00 ; culmen, .55-.60 ; tarsus, 1.00-1.10 ; middle toe .90- 95. 



This species appears to be less of a Avanderer than are most of its family, and to be 

 exclusively an inhabitant of the Northern Pacific Ocean. It is an interesting addi- 

 tion to the fauna of the United States made by the naturalists in the AVilkes Explor- 

 ing Expedition — having been previously known only as a bird of the Asiatic coast, 

 of the islands of the North Pacific, and of Kussian America. It was found in large 

 numbers by this Expedition on the southern coast of Oregon. 



This bird w\as first noticed by Pennant in his " Arctic Zoology," and called by him 

 the " Fork-tailed Petrel." The only account given of it w^as, that it had been taken 

 among the ice between Asia and America. Subsequently Pallas referred to it as an 

 inhabitant of the coasts of Unalashka and the Kurile Islands. 



We next find it mentioned in the Zoology of the Voyage of the " Sulphur," 1844, 



