376 



THE TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS — TUBIXARES. 



Gexus puffin us, Brissox. 



Puffinns, Briss. Oin. VI. 17G0, 131 (type, ProccUaria 2niffinus, BitiJNX., = P. anglornm, Temm. ). 

 Ncctris, BoNAi>. (ex FoRsr.), Consp. II. 1856, 201 (type, Ptijimcs brevicaudus, Brandt). 



Char. Similar to Priofinus, but bill much slenderer, tlie nasal tubes not more than half as 

 Ion" as the maxillary unguis, depressed anteriorly, ascending basally, the nostrils opening oljliquely 



P. Stricklandi. 



upward, usually narrower, and separated by a thick septum ; culmen much shorter than the 

 tarsus ; space between the nasul tubes and the unguis equal to about three fourths the length of 

 the latter. 



Synopsis of American Species of PufiBnus. 



A> Lower parts white. 



a. Bill stout, the depth through the base equal to one third its length ; nostrils circular. 



1. P. Kuhlii. Above, brownish gray, the dorsal feathers tipped with paler ; sides of the head 



and neck, along the line of junction of the gray and white, transversely undulated with 

 these colors. Wing, about 13.00-14.00 inches ; culmen, 1.80-2.00 ; depth of bill through 

 base, .65-.75 ; tarsus, 1.85-2.00 ; middle toe, 2.10-2.25. Hah. Middle Atlantic, chiefly 

 the eastern side. 



2. P. borealis. Similar to P. Kuhli, but much larger. Wing, 14.50 inches ; tail, G.50 ; 



culmen, 2.25 ; depth of bill through base, .75 ; tarsus, 2.20 ; middle toe, 2.30. llah. Olf 

 coast of Massachusetts. 

 h. Bill slender, the depth through, the base decidedly less than one third the total length ; 

 nostrils longitudinally oval, more horizontal. 



3. P. major. Above, sooty grayish brown, the dorsal feathers with paler tips ; longer upper 



tail-i:overts mostly white ; abdomen more or less clomled with smoky gray or grayish 

 brown; flanks and crissum cliiefly grayish brown; bill dusky. Wing, 11.50-13.00 

 inches ; culmen, 1.80-1.85 ; depth of l)ill at Ijase, .60-.65 ; tarsus, 2.20-2.25 ; middle 

 toe, 2.40-2.50. Hah. Atlantic Ocean generally. 



4. P. creatopus. Above, sooty slate, the dorsal feathers with paler tips; no white on upper 



tail-coverts ; malar region, sides of the throat, and sometimes the anal region, indistinctly 

 b;un-d, or transversely spotted, witli grayish ; flanks and crissum sooty grayish ; bill pale 



