66 PROCELLARIIFORMES CHAP. 
than Ossifraga, yet equal to a medium-sized Gull, though 
easily distinguished by its ight gliding flight with httle motion 
of the wings; in rough weather it skims very near the waves, 
while the croaking note is seldom heard. Daption capensis, the 
“Cape-Pigeon,” ranging from Ceylon and Peru throughout the 
southern oceans, 1s black and white above and nearly white 
below; it is well known as a constant companion of ships, especially 
off South Africa, hovering or swimming around, uttering its harsh 
cackle, or plunging into the water to fight for scraps thrown over- 
board.  Halobaena caerulea, extending from lat. 40° to 60° S., is 
erey-blue above and white below, with a little white on the head, 
scapulars, and tail; the habits resembling those of Prion, a genus 
of four species, remarkable for the fringe of lamellae on the bill, 
and having blue-grey upper parts varied with black, white under 
parts and superciliary streak. These forms are found throughout 
the southern seas, while P. ariel has occurred in Madeira. LP. 
desolatus, the Whale-bird of sailors, is frequently seen flitting 
round vessels, uttering its whistling or cooing note, or taking 
food from the water upon the wing; the slight nest is formed in 
an extremely small burrow. 
Little object would be served by describing in detail the 
twenty members of Pufinus (Shearwater) or the thirty of 
Oestrelata, the main constituents of our second group of Pro- 
cellariinae. The former are sooty-brown or greyish, commonly 
with white below, and in some cases with white or pale edges 
to the feathers above; all are much alike except the uniform 
species, but it should be carefully noted that Petrels are often 
best distinguished by the colour of the bill and feet. The 
habits of these birds, which are distributed throughout the 
greater part of the world, have been already sufficiently treated. 
P. anglorum, the “Manx” Shearwater, breeds along the west of 
Great Britain, in the Orkneys, Shetlands, and Ireland, P. major 
or gravis, P. griseus, P. obscurus, P. assimilis, and P. yelkouanus, the 
“ame damnée” of the Bosphorus, being occasional visitors to our 
shores. In Oestrelata the coloration is grey, brown, or blackish, 
with a decided tendency to lighter margins on the upper feathers, 
and in a few of the members more or less white on the tail, 
wing, or head; the under parts, moreover, being frequently white. 
The various forms reach from the southern temperate regions to 
Japan and also to Britain, where Oe. haesitata and Oe. brevipes 
