174 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL. MUSEUM. 



Hooper, of Brooklyn, N. Y. Tliey were observed about the vessel two (lays, 

 after wliich none were met with. 



There has been considerable doubt expressed as to the validity of 

 this species. Godman (1907), who deals with the species under the 

 name Cymodroma grallarla., admits that it is closely related to G . 

 inelanogastei\ and says: 



Dr. Bowdler Sharpe has suggested that C. graUaria might be tlie youug of 

 C. melanogaster, before the black appears on the center of the breast and 

 abdomen. Salvin, however, did not indorst? this view. 



According to the evidence at present before me, I am inclined to agree witli 

 Salvin in separating the two species, for C. graUaria never shows any black on 

 the abdomen, and all the white-banded specimens in the British Museum have 

 the appearance of being adult birds. It seems, therefore, that the white edges 

 to the dorsal feathers are a sign of adult plumage in C. graUaria, and of 

 juvenile plumage in C. melanogaster. 



Sufficient evidence to support either theory is lacking and the ques- 

 tion can not be definitely settled until large series of specimens have 

 been collected to show all the plumage changes from the downy stage 

 to tlie fully adult plumage. 



Nesting. — The following notes, sent to me by Mr. Eollo H. Beck, 

 contain all that we know about the nesting habits of this rare species : 



Though the fishermen of Juan Fernandez told me they had never found the 

 nest of this bird I found the nests quite close to the beach on Santa Clara 

 Island, which lies about 10 miles fi'om the west end of Masatlerra Island. The 

 nests were usually in rock piles under a good-sized rock. The few nests ex- 

 amined were lined with straws or a few twigs from bushes. One nest with 

 its downy occupant was plainly visible without moving the overshadowing rock. 

 On January 19, 1914, the date of my visit, I found more nests with yojng birds 

 than with eggs. As with other species of petrels the downy young of tliis 

 species is left alone during the day. 



Eggs. — The three eggs taken by Mr. Beck are probably the only 

 eggs in existence. They vary in shape from oval to broad elliptical 

 ovate. The shell is smooth, but without luster and the color is dull 

 white, more or less discolored. One has a wreath of small purplish 

 brown dots near the larger end and in one these dots form a cap over 

 the whole of that end; the other has a larger cap of such dots with 

 many minute dots scattered over the egg. The three eggs measure 

 34.5 by 24, 34 by 25, and 32.5 by 25 millimeters. 



Plumages. — The downy young are apparently thickly covered with 

 long, soft down of a " Quaker drab " color. There are several speci- 

 mens in the Brewster-Sanford collection, collected by Mr. Beck, on 

 Goat Island, Chile, on January 19, 1914. These are of different ages, 

 but all still largely downy, though some are nearlj^ fuUy grown.' 

 The new plumage, which shows under the down, is much like the 

 adult plumage, except that the scapulars and the wing-coverts, par- 

 ticularly the latter, are broadly edged with white. 



