572 Messrs. G. M. Matliews and T. Iredale on some 



XXVII. On some Petrels from the North-East Pacific Ocean. 

 By Gregory M. Mathews^ M.B.O.U., and Tom Iredale, 



M.B.O.U. 



(Text-figure 9.) 



While the senior author was dealing with the Petrels of 

 Australia in the 'Birds of Australia^ (vol. ii. 1912) he 

 received a small collection of these birds from Mr. Alan 

 Owston. The few skins received were of such great interest 

 that more material was demanded. A second small lot 

 arrived, but repeated requests have met with no further 

 response. We now feel compelled to put on record the 

 facts in connection with these few birds, as they indicate 

 great discoveries and confirm our anticipations as to the 

 home of some of our supposed wandering birds. 



In the work quoted Mathews wrote (p. 1): "I also 

 anticipate that, when this group is studied by means ot 

 breeding birds, it will be found that they are not the great 

 wanderers they have hitherto been considered, but that 

 the majority pass their time quite close to the breeding 

 ground." 



This statement was made in opposition to t\iQ views put 

 forward by God man in the ' Monograph of Petrels,* which 

 may be crystallised in such a statement as appears on 

 p. 28 : "It would not be surprising to learn that a species 

 of Petrel wiiich summers in Japan should be found in winter 

 off the coasts of Peru." That Godman's views were upheld 

 by British ornithologists generally is easily seen by the 

 admission into the British list of a bird breeding at the 

 Kermadec Islands. Though one of us has denied the 

 identity of the '^ British ^^ specimen, this view has not been 

 upheld by some British workers. The discoveries recorded 

 in this paper would amply confirm Iredale's suggestion as to 

 the occurrence of such biids in the Atlantic Ocean. 



The most amazing result of our investigation is our proved 

 inability to accurately name such a small collection as here 

 discussed Mithout practically re-monographing the genera 

 represented. When we undertook the task it seemed simple, 



