484 BIRDS Of AUSTRALIA. 



waves, but upon being met by them makes progress by a 

 direct course through instead of over them. Latham states 

 that it inhabits " Queen Charlotte's Sound, and other parts 

 adjacent to New Zealand in vast flocks ; fluttering upon the 

 sm'face of the water or sitting upon it, and dive well ; arising 

 often at a considerable distance, with amazing agility. They 

 croak like frogs, sometimes make a noise like the cackling of 

 a hen, and are known by the name of Tee-tee." 



In external appearance the Diving Petrel so much resembles 

 the Little Auk of the northern seas, that at the first glance it 

 might be readily mistaken for that species ; their resemblance, 

 however, is merely that of analogy, for they are representa- 

 tives of each other in the respective families to v^^hich they 

 belong. I observed this or a nearly allied species about 20 

 degrees to the eastward of New Zealand, taking some of the 

 lower animals from the surface of the ocean, now and then 

 dashing under water, rising again, skimming close to the 

 surface and then flying off in a straight line with a quick 

 fluttering motion of the wings. 



Examples of this bird diff'er considerably in colour, some 

 having the under surface washed with dark grey, while in 

 others, and by far the greater number, that part of the 

 plumage is white. 



Head, all the upper surface, wings, and tail shining black ; 

 ear-coverts, sides of the neck, and flanks dark grey ; all the 

 under surface white ; irides very dark greyish brown ; base 

 of the cutting edge of the upper mandible and a line along 

 the lower edge of the under mandible blue grey ; tarsi and 

 toes beautiful light blue ; webs transparent bluish white, 

 tinged with brown ; naked pouch hanging from the chin 

 nearly black, and being very thin lies in folds like a bat's 

 wing. 



