608 Petrels from the Norlh-East Pacific Ocean. 



to us, is the difficulty in separating these breeding colonies 

 subspecifically, while from the Fiji group in the middle 

 Pacific a distinct species of Bulweria is known. 



General Remarks. 



The imperfection of our knowledge of the breeding places 

 of Petrels is emphasized by the preceding collection. The 

 recognition of a breeding form of Neonectris griseus 

 (Gmelin) on the Pescadores Islands is quite a novel fact. 

 We were confident that breeding places of " P." tenuirostris, 

 carneipes, and griseus would be found in the north Pacific 

 Ocean, but we would have suggested for the griseus form a 

 far north breeding place as it is the furthest southern 

 breeding " Pvffinus.'^ 



The acquisition of an entirely new species of Piiffinus 

 was much less unexpected, but it is none the less welcome, 

 while a new species of Cymuchorea was not anticipated. 

 We might draw attention to the treatment of " Oceanodroma 

 hornbyi (Gray)'^ by the American Ornithologists^ Union. 

 In the Check-List, 3rd ed. 1910, p. 370, it has been placed 

 on the Hypothetical List, as since it was described in 1854 

 from the north-west coast of America it has not been again 

 met with. In the Birds Austr. vol. ii. 1912, p. 141 et seq., 

 under the name Fterodroma melanopus, is detailed the 

 history of a bird which was described in 1844 and was not 

 rediscovered until 1911, yet it is a common bird at the new 

 locality, which is not inaccessible to visitors. We further 

 note that in 1884 Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway (Water 

 Birds N. Amer. vol. ii. p. 411) commented on Cymochorea 

 melania (Bonaparte) thus: — "That it should not since 

 (1854) have been met with is a strong indication that it 

 does not belong to our fauna." The breeding-place of this 

 bird is now known, so that of 0. hornbyi (Gray) may be 

 just as near. If this bird were re- transferred to the 

 Check-List proper, we think it would become a source of 

 greater interest and research than it is while retained in its 

 present position. We have thus digressed to emphasize 

 our views once more that forms of Puffinus tenuirostris, 

 griseus, and bulleri will all be found breeding oflF the west 



