26 PROCELLARIID-E. 



P. yelkouan of Acerbi, and the ' Ame damuee ' of the Bos- 

 phorus, so often mentioned by travellers. Kriiper and 

 others have called it P. ohscurus, thereby augmenting the 

 confusion regarding the Shearwaters, but there is no evidence 

 to show that the true Dusky Shearwater has ever occurred in 

 the Mediterranean. 



In the adult bird the bill is blackish-brown, but lighter 

 brown at the base ; irides hazel ; head, back of the neck, 

 back, wings, and tail uniform brownish-black ; chin, and 

 neck in front white ; sides of the neck varied with dark 

 grey and white in transverse bars ; breast, belly, and under 

 tail-coverts white ; behind the thighs a patch of brownish- 

 black ; legs, toes, and their membranes jellowish flesh- 

 colour. 



The whole length of the bird is fourteen inches ; from the 

 anterior bend of the wing to tbe end of the longest quill- 

 feather, nine inches and a half. 



In the first plumage the upper parts are of a more sooty- 

 brown than in the adult ; the throat and breast are mottled 

 with brownish-grey ; flanks, abdomen and under tail-coverts 

 brown ; legs and feet brownish, membranes pale yellow. 

 This description is taken from a male in the collection of 

 the Editor, shot oft' Malaga on the 30th of January. 



