24 OCEAN BIRDS. 



nape, a broad patch beneath the eye, and the ear-coverts, slate-colour ; sides of the chest, 

 back of the neck, and upper part of the back, dark grey, gradually passing into the dark 

 brown of the back and wings ; upper tail-coverts light grey ; primaries and tail black ; 

 irides dark reddish brown; legs and feet black; webs yellow." In the 'Proceedings of 

 the Zoological Society' for 1878 (p. 736), Mr. Salvin, describing some specimens, says: — 

 "Nightingale Island. Eyes black; a night-bird. These were taken out of holes in the 

 ground during the day by help of the dogs." 



Black-bellied Stoem Petrel (Fregeta melanogaster). — Thus described by Gould: — 

 "All the plumage deep sooty black, with the exception of the upper tail-coverts and 

 flanks, which are snow-white ; bill, legs and feet black." In the voyage of H. M. S. 

 ' Challenger ' one was observed in Betsy Cove, Kerguelen ; and in Lord Lindsey's Expedition 

 ]\Ir. Saunders mentions their being caught in lat. 36° 67' S., long. 40° 41' E. 



White-bellied Stoem Petrel {Fregeta leticogaster). — Thus described by Gould: — "Head 

 and neck deep sooty black ; back greyish black, each feather margined with white ; 

 wings and tail black ; chest, all the under surface, and the upper tail-coverts white ; bill 

 and feet jet-black." Thus described by Mr. Salvin in his report on the collection of 

 H. M. S. ' Chahenger ' :— " Eyes brown. Shot in the South Pacific, 11th November, 1875, 

 at sea. Their stomachs were filled with a yellow oil, and mixed with it some pieces of 

 Crustacea." 



Geey-backed Storm Petrel {Garodia Nereis). — Thus described by Gould : — " Head, neck, 

 and chest sooty grey; lower part of the wing-coverts, back, and upper tail-coverts grey, 

 each feather very slightly margined with white ; wings greyish black ; tail grey, broadly 

 tipped with black ; under surface pure white ; irides, bill, and feet black." In the 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. for 1840, p. 178, he also says: — "Total length, six inches and a half; 

 bill, nine-sixteenths of an inch; wing, five inches and a quarter; tail, two inches and 

 a half ; tarsi, one inch and a quarter. Hab. — Bass's Straits, on the south coast of 

 Australia. This beautiful fairy-like Storm Petrel is about the size of Wilsoni, and is 

 remarkable as differing from most of the members of the group in having no white on 

 the rump and in the pure white of the under surface." In March, 1858, a dead specimen 

 was picked up in the Falkland Islands. 



