202 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. ix. 



With regard to the specitic name of the latter, Mr. Mathews 

 refers it to P. Iherminieri, the forms of which, he states, 

 differ from P. asshnilis as a general rule by their dark under 

 tail-coverts, dark inner webs of the ])rimaries, distinct l)rownish 

 hue of their upper-parts, usually longer wing and heavier 

 bill. We, however, consider that these Little (Shearwaters are 

 geographical forms of one species and therefore call the bird 

 in qiiestion Puffinus assimilis hoydi. It can at once be 

 distinguished from P. assimilis godmani by its under tail- 

 coverts, all the longer feathers of Avhich are blackish-brown 

 with small Avhitish tips, instead of white \\ ith l)lack or blackish 

 outer webs as in P. a. (jodmani. The u])])er-])arts are also 

 distinctly more brownish and not so blue-black as in P. a. 

 godmani. The inner webs of the ])rimaries are also more 

 dusky and not so white as in P. a. godmani. but this character 

 varies somewhat in both birds. A small distinguishing char- 

 acter which should be noted is that in P. a. hoydi the black- 

 brown of the upper-parts extends over the lores, whereas in 

 P. a. godmani the white of the imder-parts extends more 

 towards the crown in the loral region. 



In measurements, however, there is not much difference 

 between the two birds, the following l)eing the minimum and 

 maximuni measurements in millimetres of six males and six 

 females of each. 



Wing. 



„ , . jcJ 175-188 



P. a. godmani |'^ 175484 



f.a. ooyai ^^ 181-191 



Pevensey, Dec. 



4, 1914 ... $ 189 75 35 42 29 



St. Leonards, 



Jan. 2, 1915... O 191 78 35 39 26 



The two ])irds recorded above by Mr. J. B. Nichols have 

 been carefully comjiared by Dr. Hartert and myself and they 

 are typical examples of P. a. hoydi. Mr. G. M. Mathews and 

 Mr. T. Iredale, who have also kindly examined them, are in 

 agreement with this o])inion. 



As the Cape V^erde bird has only recently been differentiated 

 it becomes necessary to see whether the ])reviously recorded 

 British exam])les of the Little Dusky Shearwater belong to 

 this form or to the Madeiran and CVinary Island form {i.e. 



