Vol. XXII. 1 

 1922 J 



Ti;.\U'l'-Sr'rilI-:Rl..\XI), Round the lAuut. 



57 



The following- are the measurements of two of each species, taken 

 'in the flesh," especially for this article: — 



Width at 

 base of 

 mandible. Tarsus. 



P. vittatus 



P. dcsolatus J 



P. banksi 



Leng:th. 

 279. 

 271. 

 253. 

 253.5 

 241. 

 242. 



Wing-. 

 234. 

 231. 

 218. 

 217. 

 204. 

 204. 



Tail. 

 106. 

 105. 

 101. 

 100. 

 97. 

 96. 



Culmen. 

 36. 

 34.5 

 29. 

 27. 

 25.5 

 25. 



23.5 

 22. 

 13.5 

 13. 



33. 

 33. 

 33. 

 31. 

 29. 

 30. 



For the present then I prefer to retain the separate species. The 

 localities of the two specimens which I have quoted from Professor 

 Loomis are given as (1) Chatham Islands, and (2) Nelson, N.Z. 

 Judging from these localities and from the measurements, i should 

 say that the species were: (1) P. vittatus, and (2) P. artel. 



As I stated before, I have not so far taken P. ariel at Puysegur 

 Point, but Huttcn and Drummond describe the bird as follows:— 

 "Similar in colour to the others, but with a paler crown. Bill much 

 narrower and more compressed; the sides of the maxilla nearly 

 straight. Chin fully feathered. Length of the wing, 6.8 in. (172 

 mm.); of the tarsus, 1.2 in. (30 mm.). Breeds on the northern part 

 of New Zealand." 



4. Pelecanoides exsul. Diving Petrel. Kuaka. — Very plentiful, but 

 only so, generally speaking, when the fog drifts up before midnight. 

 Only on one or two occasions have these birds been observed around 

 the tower after midnight. Over 250 were counted on the lighthouse 

 balcony one evening- in July, 1920. There is only one species for 

 N.Z. i stated this belief over two years ago in an article published 

 in the Christchurch (N.Z.) "Weekly Press." The measurements of a 

 typical pair are:— 



Length. Wing. 



P. exsul $ 203. 126. 



? 201. 127. 



5. Puffinus assimili.s. Allied or Forster's Shearwater. [Hakoakoa 

 (sometimes)]. — Hakoakoa is the native name usually applied to 

 Megalestris antartka, the Skua, Sea Hawk, or Sea Hen. Only two Allied 

 Petrels have been killed against the tower, and both were males. One 

 was killed August, 1919, and the other February, 1921. The two 

 specimens are alike — upper surface dark slaty, and under surface 

 white — save that one has the region around the vent dull brownish, 

 whilst the other has this particular part pure white. The bill is 

 black and 29 mm. in length, and the feet are dull brownish flesh 

 colour. The complete measurements in the flesh of the two specimens 

 are as follows: — 



Length. Wing. Bill. Taisus. 



Puffinus assimilis J 299. 194. 29. 33. 



J 284. 192. 29. 31. 



These birds are, I believe, the P. obscurus of Professor Loomis. Sir 

 W. L. Buller (Supplement) and Hutton and Drummond ("Animals 

 of N.Z." ) list P. obscurus and P. assimilis as distinct species. They are 

 apparently the light and dark phases of one form. 



