34 



FULMARS AND SHEARWATERS 



GENUS OSSIFRAGA. 



[85.] Ossifraga gigantea {Gmel). Giant Fulmar. 



Nasal tubes occupying- more than half the length of bill ; tail feathers 

 16 ; size of a large goose. Light phase : 

 sometimes almost entirely white, but gen- 

 erally with head, neck, and under parts 

 white, and upper parts dusky ; bill light 

 yellowish. Dark phase : uniform sooty 

 brown, sometimes whitish around base of 

 bill ; bill olive yellowish or g-rayish. 

 Fig. 5G. Length: 30-36, wing 17-21, bill 3.50-4.00, 



extent of wings 72-84. 



Distribution. — Southern seas, casually north to coast of Oregon. 



GENUS FULMARUS. 

 Subgenus Fulmarus. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Upper parts plain gray or dusky glupischa, p. 34. 



1'. Upper parts gray, marked with white rodgersi, p. 34. 



86b. Fulmarus glacialis glupischa Stejn. Pacific Fulmar. 



Bill short and stout, wider than deep at base, nasal tubes occupying 

 about half the length of bill and opening as one tube ; nasal tubes and 

 tip of bill yellow. Light phase : head, neck, and under parts white ; 

 upper parts bluish gray, with quills darker. Dark phase : whole plumage 

 deep sooty plumbeous.' Length : 17-19, wing 11.90-12.3.5, bill 1.3.5-1.65. 



Distribution. — North Pacific, south along the American coast to Mexico. 



Nest. — On high cliffs and promontories. Eggs : white. 



Mr. Loomis states that when an ' oil slick ' appeared on the Mon- 

 terey Bay at one time, be counted over a hundred Pacific fulmars 

 and several Rodgers fulmars scattered in groups apparently feeding 

 on a slimy substance floating on the surface of the oil. 



86.1. Fulmarus rodgersi Cass. PtODOERs Fulmar. 



Similar to the light phase of glupischa. but bluish gray of upper parts 

 broken by mixture of white. No dark phase known. Wing : 12.10-12.90, 

 bill 1.40-1.60, depth of bill at base .6.5-.75. 



Distribution. — North Pacific from Bering Sea south to Monterey Bay. . 



Egg. — Soiled white, laid on the bare rock. 



GENUS PRIOCELLA. 



87. Priocella glacialoides (Smith). Slender-billed Fulmar. 

 Bill slender, deeper than wide at base ; nasal tubes not reaching middle 

 of bill ; nasal tubes and tip of bill blank. Adults : 

 head, neck, and under parts whitish or light gray ; 

 back and wings light pearl gray, the quills darker, 

 with inner webs mainly white. Length : 18.00-18..50, 

 wing 13, bill 1.75-2.10. depth of bill at base .65. 



Distribution. — Southern seas, north along Pacific 

 Fig. 57. coast to Vancouver Island. 



