NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 135 



omnium. Nectris anrjloruin, Kuhl. Monog. Proc. Beit. Zool., 1820. p. 

 140, sp. 23. 

 Piordlaria piiffinus, Briinn., Orn. Bor., 17G4, p. 29, sp. 119. Linn. Syst. 

 Nat. i. 17:lti, p. 21o ; Gmel. S. N. i. 1788, p. 5(30. Lath. In.l. Orn. ii. 

 1790, p. 824 ; sed non auct. aliorum, quae potius ad Puff- nwjorem 

 spectat.) Ncclris puffinus. Keys, et Bias. Wirb. Europ. i., 1840, p. 94. 

 Puffinus arcficus, Faber, Prod. Isl. Orn., 1822, p. 5G, sp. 1. Puffinus 

 Baroli, Bonelli; Bp. Consp. Av., 1856, ii. p*. 204; (an == P. " anglo- 

 T-um, fcx Mare Medit. ;" an sub. P. yelcuano adduceuda ?) P. "■■ manic - 

 su, " ali(|. 

 Habitat. — North Atlantic Ocean, at large. 



This species, though so long known and so common, yet requires very 

 careful investigation ; both because its bibliography is somewhat exten- 

 sive, and on account of its variations in size and color, which are so consider- 

 able that there has been much confusion concerning it. I will first examine 

 into its synonymy, and then proceed to charatterize the specic^s beyond the 

 probability of nwy further difficulty with its specific characters. 



The Piocdlaria puffinus of Linnreus, Gmelin, and Latham, lias been various- 

 ly interpreted by modern authors. Most writers, including Kuhl and others, 

 consider it as the bird wliicli was afterwards named P. major by Faber. 

 Temminck makes it equal to the clnercus of Gmelin. Bonaparte and Schlegel 

 regard it as undoubtedly referring to the present species. An examination of 

 the diagnoses of Linnsei^s, or Gmelin, or Latham, — particularly the latter,— 

 will, I think, make it quite patent that the last is the only tenable view to 

 take of the name. Such expressions as are found in e. g. Latham's notice, 

 as "Pr. corpore supril nirjro, subtus albo" * * * "15 poUices longa," 

 etc., can only be considered as referring to the anglorum ; for they are totally 

 at variance with the essential characters of the P. major. Moreover, Latham 

 cites "P. aurjiorum, Rail, Syn."a3 a synonym of the species. Such being the 

 case, I unhesitatingly accord with Bonaparte and Schlegel in their identifica- 

 tion of the Linnseau P. puffinm. I am quite at a loss to understand iipon 

 what grounds M. Temminck makes tlie remark that " ni Linnc ni Latham 

 n'out connu cet oisean." 



The first recognized classical notice of this species is that given in 1713 by 

 Mr. Ray, under the name of Proc. angTonnn. Brisson calls it Puffinus anglo- 

 rum; it i.s indicated by Linnscus, Gmelin, and Latham as Proc. puffinua, with 

 ^'anglorum. Ray," as a synonym. Temminck was, I believe, the first binom- 

 alist who adopted Ray's designation ; he calling it in 1820 Procellaria anglo- 

 rum ; in 1840 Puffinus an gl rum. 



This species is also the Proffinus arcticas, Paber (1. c), as is evident from 

 his diagnosis. The reference of Faber's name arcticus to the P. major, as has 

 been occasionally done, is quite erroneous. I have an indistinct recollection 

 of having seen this species cited as Procellaria or Puffinus "■ manlsii,''^ but I 

 cannot at present call to mind the reference. 



A certain " Puffinus Baroli, Bonelli," is admitted as distinct by Bonaparte 

 in his Conspectus, p. 204, and also in his Tab. Longip. in the Comptes Ren- 

 dus. It is said to be somewhat smaller, lighter colored, and with a slenderer 

 bill. Well acquainted as I am, however, with the variations in just these 

 features which the WHr/Zor/u^ frequently presents, I cannot discover sufficient 

 grounds upon which to separate P. Baroli even as a distinct vaiiety ; but 

 rather entirelj' agree with Dr. Schlegel in considering it as an undoubted 

 synonym of anglorum, or at least of P. gelcuanus, which is the representative 

 species in the Mediterranean Sea. 



Bonaparte (Consp. ii. p. 203) inquires "quid P/oc. ;;(/j5^'ihs, Kuhl, Mon. 

 Proc. p. 146, sp. 22, t. xi., f. 10, ex Mediterr.meo ?" to which I would reply 

 unhesitatingly that it is the Puffinus major, Faber. The description is entirely 

 pertinent, and the figure much more readily recognizable as representing the 

 head and bill of tiiis si^ecies, than are many of the delineations of the work. 



1864.] 



