NATATORES. 459 



cured on Norfolk Island, where it is said to breed ; conse- 

 quently the seas washing the eastern shores of Australia may- 

 be considered its native habitat ; it is evidently the represen- 

 tative of the Puffinus obscurus of Europe. On my homeward 

 voyage from Australia I saw numerous examples flying off 

 the north-eastern end of New Zealand, and this I regret to 

 say is all the information I have to communicate respecting it. 



I have received two beautiful snow-white eggs of this bird 

 from Mr. Macgillivray ; they were collected on Royal Island 

 in July 1854, and are two inches in length by one inch and 

 three lines in breadth. 



Crown of the head, all the upper surface, wings, and tail 

 sooty black ; sides of the face, throat, and all the under sur- 

 face white ; bill dark horn-colour ; tarsi and toes greenish 

 yellow ; webs yellowish orange. 



Total length 11 inches ; bill 2f ; wing 6^ ; tail 3 ; tarsi 1J-. 



Genus NECTRIS, Bonaparte. 



The members of this genus inhabiting Australia are two in 

 number, both of which make one or other of the groups of 

 islands lying off the coast their great nurseries or breeding- 

 places. They are distinguished by their ample wings and 

 very short tails, and by the uniform dark colouring of their 

 plumage. 



Sp. 636. NECTRIS BREVICAUDUS. 



Short-tailed Petrel. 



Puffinus brevicaudus, Brandt, Icon. Rossic. Av., tab. 6. fig. 17. 

 Priofinus brevicaudus, Bonap. Compt. Rend, de I'Acad. Sci., torn. xli. 

 Nectris brevicaudus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. torn. ii. p. 201 ; Nectris, 



sp. 1. 

 Mutton-bird of the Sealers. 



Puffinus brevicaudus, Gould, Bii'ds of Australia, foL, vol. vii. pi. 56. 

 This bird is an inhabitant of the seas surrounding Tasma- 



