FAMILY HYDROBATIDAE 47 



Regular visitor off the Pacific coast. 



The least petrel nests in the north near Baja California, on the 

 San Benito Islands off the western coast, and on several small islands 

 in the northern third of the Golfo de Cahfornia. Bent (U. S. Nat. 

 Mus. Bull. 121, 1922, p. 125) records egg dates from July 2 to 27. 

 While these petrels are common outside the nesting season off 

 Panama, there are few definite records. Those available are as fol- 

 lows : February 12, 1950, two seen between Isla Pacheca and Taboga 

 (Wetmore) ; Panama Bay, March 1888, the second known specimen, 

 taken at night when it flew on board the S. S. Albatross (Townsend, 

 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 13, 1890, p. 141) ; March 14, 1944, 

 half a dozen seen midway between Isla San Jose and Balboa (Wet- 

 more) ; March 31, 1962, common in the area to the south of Isla 

 Bona (Wetmore) ; May 23, 1941, near San Jose (taken by Robert 

 Cushman Murphy) . 



Among the petrels seen in the Gulf of Panama and southward off 

 Darien there may be noted an occasional bird of the present species, 

 known at once from its small size coupled with uniformly dark colors, 

 and rather long, wedge-shaped tail. They fly just above the surface, 

 and may be told from the black petrels by their quicker movements 

 and more erratic fluttering flight, in addition to the size difference. 

 Also they tend to move more in the troughs of the waves. Occasionally 

 they alight for a few seconds while they peck quickly at the water, 

 and then rise easily, twisting and turning, to continue their wandering. 

 Like the black petrel they are not attracted to small boats, for al- 

 though sometimes I have seen them flying parallel to the course 

 of launches on which I was traveling, they seldom approached nearer 

 than 100 to 200 meters even when crossing in front. I have never 

 had one come within gun range. 



On the evening of March 21, 1952, on Isla Taboga, while sitting in 

 the brilliantly lighted, open dining room of the Hotel Taboga over- 

 looking the sea, I saw what I thought was a bat flutter against the 

 white inner wall and drop behind a door. On investigation I found 

 that it was one of these small petrels. 



LOOMELANIA MELANIA (Bonaparte): Black Petrel; Golondrina de Mar 



Negra 



Procellaria melania Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, vol. 38, no. 14 

 (for Apr. 3), 1854, p. 662. (Vicinity of San Francisco, California.) 



A petrel of medium size, wholly dark in color. 



Description. — Length 200 to 230 mm. Sooty black throughout, 

 somewhat paler on greater wing coverts ; tail deeply forked. 



