Vol. XX 

 ii:)20 



1 Alexander, Australian Species of Tubinares. 67 



Genus Pdrella. 



This genus has been commonly known by the name of Dapfion, 

 bestowed on Procellaria capensis by Stephens in 1826. Zimmer- 

 man had, however, used the name of Pelrella for this bird in 1793. 

 PelreUa capensis (Linn.) Cape Petrel or Fulmar, Pintado, or Cape 

 Pigeon. 



This species is common in the seas to the south of Australia 

 during the winter, and has been observed by many travellers. 

 Its chequered plumage, unlike that of any other bird, makes its 

 identification easy. Gould states that it is nowhere more numerous 

 than off the south coast of Tasmania, and that it was very 

 numerous off King George's Sound on 8th September, 1838 (r, 

 p. 469). He also met with it when travelling from Hobart to 

 Sydney. Peron observed it in Geographe Bay, W.A., in 1801 

 (" Vo3'age aux Terres Australes," vol. i., p. 212). More recently 

 it has been met with by Giglioli, Ferguson, W. Macgillivray. and 

 myself. I know of no record of the actual capture of a specimen 

 in Australia, the authenticity of the birds in the British Museum 

 labelled "Australia" being doubtful. 



The type locality of the species is the Cape of Good Hope, aivi 

 Mathews has separated the New Zealand form sub-specifically 

 under the name of australe. He refers the Australian birds to 

 this race. 



Genus Pachyptila. . . 



This genus has commonly been known as Prion. Lacepede 

 introduced that name in 1799, but his genus is indeterminable 

 [Anstral Avian Record, ii., p. 25). In 1828 Lesson defined the 

 genus, making Procellaria vittata the type, but in the meantime 

 Illiger, in 181 1, had introduced the genus Pachyptila with the 

 same species as type, and this name, therefore, has priority. 

 Sub-genus Halohcena. 



This has generally been regarded as a separate genus, but H. 

 cceritlea does not differ from the other Prions more than do species 

 of Piiffiiius, as that genus is commonly used. 

 Pachyptila cnerulea (Gmelin). Blue Petrel. 



Gould observed this species in the South Indian Ocean. It 

 gradually increased in numbers as he proceeded, and was very 

 plentiful off the coast of Tasmania. He also met with it on his 

 voyages from Hobart to South Australia and Sydney (i, p. 457 )• 

 Diggles captured one off the south coast of Western Australia in 

 October, 1853 {Austral Avian Record, iii., p. 100). Mathews records 

 a specimen picked up dead in Victoria (7, p. 195). This bird he 

 made the type of a sub-species — victories {Austral Avian Record, 

 iii., p. 54). 



Sub-gt'nus Pcu'hyplila. 

 Pachyptila vittata (Gmelin). Broad-billed Prion, Dove-Petrel, 

 Blue Fulmar, or Whale-Bird. 



During the voyage of the Rattlesnake Macgillivray procured a 

 specimen of this species at the eastern end of Bass Strait on nth 



