106 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



figured and described by Dr. Andrew Smith in his Illustrations of 

 South African Zoology." 



Mr. Robert C. Murphy noted and collected this species on his cruise 

 to the island of South Georgia ; his notes state that on November 14, 

 1912, in latitude 42° 24' south and longitude 42° 28' west, many 

 black-tailed shearwaters followed the ship " all day long, flying low 

 over the water, gliding a good part of the time. When they beat 

 their Avings it was with a more rapid motion than the other petrels; 

 the flight Avas, indeed, somewhat ducklike. Toward night we passed 

 great bands of Pi^lofinus sitting on the water." 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range, — Know^n to breed only on Kerguelen Island, in 

 the southern Indian Ocean, and on Macquarie Island, south of New 

 Zealand. 



Range. — Southern oceans. North in the South Atlantic Ocean to 

 about 25° South; in the South Pacific Ocean, perhaps regularly, to 

 Peru ; and in the Indian Ocean to about 35° south. 



Casual records. — Accidental on the coast of California (off Monte- 

 rey). 



PTERODROMA HASITATA (Kuhl). 

 BLACK-CAPPED PETREL. 



HABITS. 



In the latest edition of our check list this species is entered as 

 " probably now extinct." This statement was probably premature, 

 but doubtless it was somewhat Avarranted by the increasing rarity 

 of the species, which is perhaps on the verge of extinction. It is a 

 bird of the tropical Avaters of the Atlantic Ocean, and once bred 

 abundantly on several islands of the West Indies. Mr. George N. 

 Lawrence (1878) referred to this species under the local vernacular 

 name of " diablotin," not knowing at that time just Avhat species it 

 was. Quoting from Mr. Frederick A. Ober's notes, who was col- 

 lecting birds for the Smithsonian on the island of Dominica, he says : 



Twenty years ago it was abundant. Said to have come in from tlie sea iu 

 October and November and to burrow in the tops of the highest mountains for a 

 nest. In those months it incubated. It goes and comes, doubtless, mostly, if not 

 altogether, at night. If the burroAvs made by it could be found when the birds 

 are incubating, probably they could be unearthed in the daytime, and thus be 

 secured. 



Mr. Lawrence (1891) published another note on the subject from 

 Doctor Colardeau, Avhom he had requested to look for the species on 

 Guadeloupe. Doctor Colardeau writes : 



I do not believe the diablotin is extinct in our island ; only we have no more 

 the old sportsmen Avho used to go after them out of pure frolic, with plenty of 



