DIOMEDEIDiE. — PUFFINIDiE, 



203 



258. DIOMEDEA NIGRIPES. 



(AUDUBON'S ALBATROSS.) 



Diomedeaniyripcs, Audubon, Orn. Biogr. v. p. 327 (1839). 



Audubon's Albatross is slightly smaller than Steller's Albatross 

 (wing from carpal joint 18^ inches). It is dark brown above and 

 below, shading into pale brown round the base of the bill. Bill, legs, 

 and feet nearly black. 



Figures : Cassin, Illustr. Birds of California, Texas, &c. pi. 35. 



Head of Diomedea 7i!f/ripes. | natural size. 



The claim of Audubon's Albatross to be regarded as a Japanese 

 bird rests upon a fine adult female shot by Mr. H. Henson on the 

 17th of May, 1883, in the Strait of Tsugaru, between Yezzo and the 

 main island of Japan (Seebohm, Ibis, 1884, p. 176), and a male 

 obtained on the 27th of February on the coast of the province of 

 Sagami near Yokohama (Seebohm, Ibis, 1885, p. 363). 



Audubon's Albatross is a North-Pacific species, but its range does 

 not extend so far north as Bering Sea. 



Family PUFFINID^. 



The Shearwaters differ from all the other families of Tubinares in 

 having basipterygoid processes. 



They further differ from the Albatrosses in having the nasal tubes 



