362 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



tips of all the feathers, as well as their inner edges, tchite ; 

 lateral feather on each side, dull white, with a freckling of 

 grey towards its shaft ; forehead, space in front of the eyes, 

 eyebrows, and sides of head, white. Length, 10" 5'"; wing, 

 8i"; tail, 3" 10"'. 



Tlie white edges of the scapulars, and the tips and two outer tail- 

 feathers distinguish tliis species at once from aU the Blue Petrels 

 inhabiting our seas. It is not uncommon along the coast, and is 

 occasionally cast ashore after a gale of wind. 



Genus PRION, Lacepede. 

 Bill the length of the head, very broad at the base, depres- 

 sed aboTe; culmen nearly straight, laterally swollen, but 

 gradually compressed towards the tip, which is arched, 

 elevated, compressed, and acute ; the lateral margins dilated 

 near the base, with a series of very fine laminae running 

 along the whole length internally, rather above the margin ; 

 the lower mandible broad at the base, gradually compressed 

 towards the tip, which is much compressed, with the margin 

 and gonys arched ; the nostrils basal, tubular, elevated above 

 the culmen, short, opening with two appertures in front ; 

 wings moderate, pointed, with the first quill nearly equalling 

 the second, which is longest ; tail moderate, broad, and 

 rounded at the end ; tarsi shorter than the middle toe, 

 laterally compressed, and covered with small scales ; the 

 outer toe nearly as long as the middle toe, and the hind toe 

 nearly in the form of a broad, short-pointed claw. 



674. Prion Banksii. (Smith.) PachyptUa BanksU, 

 Smith, Zool. S. Af., PI. 55. 



General colour above, pearl-grey; back of neck and inter- 

 scapulars, tinged with brown ; lesser wing-coverts, and the 

 ends of the scapulars, ruddy-brown ; tail grey, tinged with 

 yellow-grey ; the ends of the feathers dirty-brown ; through 

 the eye a stripe of purple, tinged with ruddy-brown ; sides 

 of the chest shining-grey ; below white ; eye brown ; bill 

 livid-brown ; towards the tip of the upper mandible, clouded 

 greenish-yellow ; feet ruddy-brown. Length, 10" ; wing, 

 7" 9'" ; tall, 3" 9'". 



This bird occasionally frequents the bays of our coasts, and is con- 

 stantly to be seen in the Cape seas. Mr. Ayres states that it has been 

 thrown ashore at Natal, dead, in vast numbers. The same thing has 

 occurred here several times. Many were thus cast away at Green- 

 Point on the 21st of April, 1866; and a large flock perished in a 

 vineyard at Constantia, belonging to Mr. Cloete. 



