ANSERES. 87 



recorded^ that it seems scarcely necessary^ in giving an account of 

 the birds of a particular country, to do more than notice its occur- 

 rence. 



" It is numerous off the New Zealand coasts at most seasons of 

 the year ; and in stormy weather it often ajiproaches the land, fol- 

 lowing in the wake of the tossing vessel, hovering gracefully over the 

 water, and occasionally alighting on the surface to pick up any float- 

 ing substance that may arrest its attention. On one occasion, in 

 comparatively smooth weather, a number of these birds attended our 

 little steamer to the very mouth of the Wanganui River ; but this 

 occurrence was quite exceptional." — Buller. 



135. Proeellaria lessoni. Gamot. 



WniTE-nEADED Petrel. 

 (Plate XXXIII.) 

 Back and (ail, ash; wings, black; head and under-surface, white, with a black line 

 through the eje. 



L., (?) ; W., ll-VS ; B., 1 ; T., 1-65. 

 Hah.— ^ovi\i Island. 



136. Proeellaria mollis. Gould. 



SOFT-PLUMAGED PeTREL. 



Crown of head and all the vipper surface, slate-grey, the featljei's of the foreliead mar- 

 gined Avitli wliite ; wings, dark-brown ; before and beneath tlie eye, a mark of brownish- 

 black ; face, throat, and all the under-surface, white, interrupted by the slate-grey of the 

 upper surface advancing on the sides and forming a faint pectoral band ; bill, black ; tarsi 

 and base of toes and interdigilal membrane, pale fleshy-white, the remainder black. 



L., 13-5 ; W., 9-75 ; B., 1-25 ; T., 16. 



Uab. — Soutliern Ocean, Norlh Atlantic, New Zealand seas (Finsch). 



137. Proeellaria cookii. Gmi/. 



Cook's Petrel. 

 Above, grey ; forehead, cheeks, and below, white, with a brown spot through the eye ; 

 upper wing-coverts, brownish-black ; under ones, white. 

 L., 12 5 ; W., 9 25 ; B., lo5 ; T., 115. 



" I have taken the above description from the type specimen in 

 the British Museum, which was obtained off the New Zealand coast. 

 The species appears, however, to be very rare ;' and I have never met 

 with it, although Captain Hutton informs me that there is a specimen 

 in the collection of the Rev. R. Laishley, at Auckland. '^ — Buller. 



138. Proeellaria fuliginosa. KuM. 



Sooty Petrel. 

 (Plate XXXIII.) 

 Brownish-black ; bill and feet, black. 

 L., 15-25 ; W., 11-5 ; B., 175 ; T., 18. 



139. Proeellaria gouldi. Hution. 



Grey-paced Petrel. 

 Brownish-black, with a grey face ; bill and feet, black. 

 L , 16 75 ; W., 13-5 ; B., 1-6 ; T., 1-6. 

 iV^.— White; length, 2-6; breadth, I'SS. 



