FAMILY DIOMEDEIDAE 33 



he collected mollusks for several months in the Bay of Panama, 

 then proceeded to David, where he arrived in January 1856 (Sclater, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1856, pp. 138-142). It is possible that the 

 albatross may have been obtained during the sea journey from 

 Panama City to David. 



The gray-headed albatross breeds on various islands in the far 

 south, ranges mainly over south temperate seas, and is found casually 

 northw^ard. In considering possible occurrence in Panama it should 

 be borne in mind that Murphy (Oceanic Birds S. Amer., 1936, pp. 

 515-516) points out that sight records for the gray-headed albatross 

 may not be accepted, as other species that range along the vv^est 

 coast of South America resemble it closely. He indicates especially 

 that Diomedea hulleri and D. cauta salvini are so closely similar 

 that they may not be identified except by those familiar w^ith these 

 species with the bird in hand. In D. hulleri the raised base of the 

 culmen is decidedly broader back of the nostrils, with a transversely 

 flattened posterior margin. D. c. salvini averages somewhat larger 

 and has the bill gray, with the culmen shell ivory and a black spot 

 at the end of the mandible. 



DIOMEDEA EXULANS Linnaeus: Wandering Albatross; Albatros Errante 



Diomedea exulans Linnaeus, Syst. nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 132. (Cape of 

 Good Hope.) 



Largest of the albatrosses to be expected in Panamanian waters, and 

 one of the largest of living flying birds. 



Description. — Length about 1^ meters; wing spread about 3^ 

 meters. Adult (sexes alike), wing feathers, and part of coverts 

 blackish ; rest of plumage, including under side of wing, white. 



Immature, dark brown with white face and throat. 



Iris brown ; bill salmon-pink (except in breeding season, when it 

 is buffy yellow) ; tarsi and feet bluish gray (from Murphy, Oceanic 

 Birds S. Amer., vol. 1, 1936, pp. 538, 550). 



Measurements (from Murphy, I.e., p. 539). — Males (10 speci- 

 mens), wing 590-674 (644), tail 186-202 (195), exposed culmen 

 156-173 (168), tarsus 115-128 (120.7) mm. 



Females (4 specimens), wing 585-611 (601), tail 177-200 (187), 

 exposed culmen 157-167 (161), tarsus 111-119 (114) mm. 



Accidental. One record for the Bay of Panama. 



Murphy (Condor, 1938, p. 126) reports one captured in August 

 1937, brought alive to Balboa, where it was photographed by Lee B. 



