PROCELLARID^ 859 



presented to the Soutli African Museum by Lieutenant-Commander 

 L. A. Beardslee, of U. S. Navy, and captured on board bis sbip, 

 tbe U. S. Steamer Aroostook, about 300 miles to tbe westward of the 

 Cape, May, 1867. 



665. Tkalassidroma Wilsoni, Pr. Bonap. 



General colour throughout, brownish-black ; rump and 

 thighs white ; legs and feet black ; webs between the toes 

 yellow, edited with black ; irides black. Length, 7"; wing, 

 6"; tail, 21". 



Tbe accompanying description is from a specimen killed in Table 

 Bay on tbe 29tb April, 1865, by my son, wbo informs me tbat be saw 

 several more of tbe same species. I procured several specimens off 

 L'Agulbas Bank in 1856, since wbicb time, until my son found it in 

 Table Bay, I bad not seen tbem on tbe coast. 



In babits tbey resemble tbe preceding species, witb wbicb tbey 

 freely consort, flitting over tbe waves and picking up odd bits flung 

 over tbe sbips' sides. Wben taken in tbe band tbey disgorge large 

 quantities of an oily matter, wbicb quickly congeals, and assumes tbe 

 appearance of dirty lard. 



666, Thalassidroma Oceanica, Temm. 



General colour of plumage, soot-colour ; quill-feathers ap- 

 proaching to black ; edges of the secondaries whitish ; rump 

 and vent white ; four outer tail-feathers white on the inner 

 webs, at the base ; bill and legs black ; eye dark-brown. 

 Length, 6"; wing, 5"; tail, 1" 9'". 



A few of tbese Petrels appeared in Table Bay in company witb 

 T. Wilsoni in tbe montb of May, 1865. Specimens of eacb were pro- 

 cured by myself and my son. I bad never previously seen eitber of 

 tbem so near insbore. 



Genus PROCELLARIA, Linn. 

 Bill as long as or shorter than the head, more or less bi'oad 

 at the base (varying in the sexes) ; the sides more or less 

 compressed towards the tip, which is more or less compressed, 

 much elevated and arched, lengthened, and acute ; the lower 

 mandible shorter than the upper, with the tip and gonys 

 arched and acute ; the nostrils tubular, horny, varying in 

 length from one-fourth to nearly two-thirds of the length of 

 the bill, with the aperture single, frontal, and crescent- 

 shaped ; wings long, pointed, with the first quill the longest; 

 tail moderate, rounded, or wedge-shaped ; legs with the 

 apical part of the thigh hardly naked ; tarsi shorter than the 

 middle toe, laterally compressed, and covered with small 

 scales ; toes long, with the outer as long as the middle one, 

 the inner shortest, and all united by a full web ; the lateral 

 toes margined exteriorly, the hind toe in the shape of a large 

 subtriangular claw. 



