82 KIX(;H(JRX .^- CAYl.EV, Storm Petrels 



rThe Emu 

 I 1st Oct. 



ones, the smaller markings on the tips of the feathers are 

 often missing, and Loomis^ suggests that descriptions can hardly 

 be called complete unless both worn and fresh plumage is de- 

 scribed. Thirdly, sexual and individual variation must be taken 

 int() account; variation in size may be sexual or physical, and 

 variation in colour may be ascribed lo the same causes. Loomis=* 

 also points out that the most common variation in colour is the 

 intrusion of white in dark areas and of dark colour in white 

 areas. We have found this to be very forcibly brought before 

 us on examining several species of sea-birds, and we agree with 

 Loomis both in this and in his {Previous observations and state- 

 ments. 



We are grateful to the Trustees of the National Museum, 

 Melbourne, for the loan of several specimens of Frcgetta which 

 bear Gould's labels; to the Trustees of the Macleay Museum, 

 University of Sydney, for permission to examine specimens in 

 the collection there ; and to Mr. A. R. McCulloch, zoologist at 

 the Australian Museum, for valuable assistance in reference to 

 synonymy and literature. 



Genus Frecjettornis, Mathews. 



This genus, the type of which is Proeellaria qrallaria, Vieil- 

 lot,^ was separated from Frec/etta, Bonaparte, because its tarsus 

 is scutulated instead of booted ; the two ajipear to be distinguish- 

 able, however, by other and more definite characters. 



In the paper in which Bonaparte^ created the new genus 

 Frcgetta he made Thalassidroma Icncogaster, Gould, the geno- 

 type, and mentioned T. tropica and T. melanogastcr. In defining 

 the genus, he stated that the toes did not stretch beyond the tail, 

 notwithstanding the long tarsus. We fail to understand how 

 this statement came to be made ; Gould's original description 

 did not mention this character, and Gould's own specimens 

 (which we have before us) certainly show that the outstretched 

 legs do extend beyond the tail. Bonaparte could not have 

 examined the type of T. Icncogaster, and his observation must 

 have been made from a shrunken skin. Of the several skins 

 in our possession, four are labelled by Gould in his own hand- 

 writing; one is called T. iiielaiwgaster, one T. tropica, and two 

 T. Icncogaster. All these, together with several in the Macleay 

 Museum at the University of Sydney, have the toes stretching 

 well beyond the tail. 



In all our specimens of Frcgettornis, on the other hand, the 

 legs when stretched out do not reach to the end of the tail. 

 This is due to the very short feet ; drawings of which are given 

 here for comparison with those of Frcgetta tropica and its 

 synonym T. Icncogaster. 



Frcgcttornis is apparently distinguished from Frcgetta by the 

 following characters : — 



Length of the culmen, 13-14 mm.; toes short, the middle 

 toe, including the claw, 20-21 mm. and sub-equal in length to 



