FORTH RECORD OF THE LEVANTINE SHEARWATER 251 



In August and September it may be that they are joined by 

 adults and young. The presence along with the typical race 

 of the Levantine bird, and also of the Sooty Shearwater 

 {P. grisejis), lends some countenance to the southern aspect 

 of the case ; but the question cannot be answered with any 

 degree of confidence on the basis of our present all too 

 imperfect knowledge. 



The points in which P. p. yelkoumi differs from the 

 typical race, or Manx Shearwater, are alluded to in a paper 

 by Misses Rintoul and Baxter in this magazine for June 

 last, and no distinction is drawn between adult and immature 

 plumages. Saunders, in the second edition of his Alanual, 

 says that, in the Manx Shearwater, " The young bird 

 resembles the adult and has white under-parts." The 

 Levantine Shearwater he describes as " browner in tint than 

 our Manx Shearwater, and not only are the under tail- 

 coverts and flanks dusky-brown, but the immature bird is 

 dusky on the belly ; it is moreover a larger species 

 throughout." With reference to the last clause, it may be 

 mentioned that, according to Salvin {Brit. Mns. Cat.), the 

 total length and wing are equal in both forms, slightly 

 longer tarsi and toes being, however, assigned to yelkouan. 

 This author does not differentiate between adult and 

 immature birds. In search of further light on these points 

 I wrote to Mr Ogilvie Grant of the British Museum, where 

 there is a fair series of specimens for comparison, and he has 

 kindly favoured me with the following valuable notes. 



'■'• Pujfivus a/iglorum. — The young Manx resembles the adult 

 and has white underparts and under tail-coverts, or the latter more 

 or less mottled with dusky on the outer webs. 



" P. yelkouan. — Has the longer under tail-coverts mostly or 

 entirely dusky (smoky brown), and often the sides, flanks, and belly 

 similarly coloured. These characters are variable, and I agree with 

 Godman (and Sharpe) — Monogr. Petrels— \\\'^'i the more dusky birds 

 are 7iot necessarily immature. Our material is, however, not 

 sufficient to be certain on this point. 



" The most reliable distinguishing character is to be found in the 

 axillaries. 



58 2E 



