1036 



S YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — TUB IN A RES. 



long, and much graduated. Tarsus as long as middle toe without claw ; outer toe and claw 

 equal to middle toe and claw; tip of inner claw reacliing base of middle. Adult: Blackish of 

 upper parts with much of a grayish or plumbeous cast, and lighter borders of the feathers, es- 

 pecially on scapulars and inner secondaries ; darkest on rump and upper tail-coverts ; on sides 

 of head not extending below eyes, and even there marbled with whitish ; both eyelids white, 

 and indication of a light superciliary stripe. Quills and tail-feathers as in P. puffinus. Under 

 parts white, including lining of wings and asillars ; a few plumbeous-black feathers on flanks; 

 longest and outermost under tail-coverts black, the rest white, pure or with a plumbeous shade. 

 Bill dull leaden-blue, blackening at tip ; outside of tarsus and outer toe bluish-black, inside 

 and webs of all yellowish. Small : Length ] 1.00-12.00; extent 26.00; wing 7.50-8.00; tail 

 4.25, graduated nearly 1.00; tarsus 1.60; middle toe and claw 1.80; chord of culmen 1.25; 

 gape 1.70; nasal case to tip 0.90; depth of bill at base 0.40; width 0.35. A small bicolor 

 species, readily distinguished from any of the foregoing. S. Atlantic and Gulf coast, straying 

 north to the Middle States. (P. obscurus Gm. ? P. obsciirus of former editions of the Key, 

 doubtfully referred to the Dusky Petrel, described as a Pacific species ; considered identical there- 

 with by Salvin, but separated by the A. 0. U. as P. auduboni Finsch, P. Z. S. 1872, p. Ill, 

 and apparently to be recognized as distinct.) It is the Cahow of Smith, Virginia, ed. of 1632, 

 p. 171, at which date it had already been almost exterminated in the Bermudas, where it formerly 

 swarmed ; but it is known to still breed there of late years. Egg single, white, 2.05 X 1.45. 

 P. opisthom'elas. (Gr. omade, ojnsthe, backward ; fieXas, 7nelas, black. Fig. 706.) Black- 

 vented Shearwater. Resembling the last, and little larger. Bill about |- as long as tar- 

 sus. Tail relatively shorter, less graduated. Tarsus as long as middle toe and half its claw. 

 Frontal feathers extending in a point on culmen. Adult : Dark color of upper parts extending 



farther on sides of head 



than in auduboni, leaving 

 no white about eye. Un- 

 der tail-coverts entirely 

 sooty-blackish, except a 

 few of the shortest just at 

 the vent. More dark color 

 on flanks, lining of wings, 

 and axillars, than in au- 

 duboni. In the dry state, 

 bill yellowish- or reddish- 

 brown, nasal tubes and 

 culmen blackish, hook mostly bluish-white; outside of tarsus for the most part, outer toe and 

 edges of webs, blackish ; rest of foot pale yellowish flesh-color; iris brown. Length 12.00 or 

 more; wing 9.00; tail 3.75, graduated 0.60; tarsus 1.80; middle toe and claw 2.10; chord of 

 culmen 1.40; gape 2.00; end of nasal tubes to tip 1.05; height at base 0.42, at hook 0.32. 

 Egg 1.80 X 1.30. Decidedly different from P. obscurus of Pacific waters, as well as P. audu- 

 boni of the Atlantic. Pacific ocean ; on American coast from Lower California to Vancouver 

 Island ; common in summer on central California coast ; breeds on some islands of Pacific 

 coast of Lower California. Described in Proc. Phila. Acad. 1864, p. 139, from Cape St. Lucas, 

 and appearing correctly in all editions of the Key, 1872-90 ; miscarried as Puffinus gavia in 

 A. 0. U. Lists, 1886-95; P. opisthomelas A. 0. U. Suppl. List, Auk, Jan. 1897, p. 124, after 

 Salvin, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxv, 1896, p. 380. 



P. auricula'ris. (Lat. auricular, relating to the ears.) Eared Shearwater. Town- 

 Send's Shearwater. ResemhVmg opisthomelas ; bill and feet smaller ; darker above, where 

 nearly black ; color of side of head extending below eye in line with the mouth and on auricu- 

 lars, without sharply defined edge ; flanks and axillars white ; under tail-coverts black. Length 



Fig. 706. — Black-vented Shearwater, nat. size. (From Elliot.) 



