380 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Older TUBINARES. 



Family PKOCELLAKIID^. 



PROCELLARIA PELAGICA Linuceus. 



STOEM-PETEEL. 



Procellaria pelagica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 212 (1766); Salvin, Cat. 

 Birds Brit. Mus. xxv, p. 343; Loche, Expl. Sci. AUj. Ois.W, p. 171 

 (1867); Koenig, J.f. 0. 1888, p. 285; id. J.f. 0. 1893, p. 95. 



Thalassidroma pelagica, Mcdhcrbc, Fauna Oni. dc I'Alg. p. 36 (1855). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Sicily. 



Plumage above and below sooty-black, the under parts rather paler and 

 bz-owner ; median wing-coverts with pale tips ; bases of upper tail-coverts 

 and of the tail, sides of the crissum, and under tail-coverts white. 



Iris dark brown, bill and feet black. 



Total length 550 inches, wing 4-60, culmen -55, tarsus "90. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



Observations. — Examples appear to have been found on the Spanish 

 coasts of a uniform sooty-black, without any white on the rump or wings. 



Thalassidroma mclitensis, Scbembri, from Malta, seems to be undis- 

 tinguishable from P. pelagica. 



The Storm-Petrel is uot uncommon on the coast of Tunisia, and 

 apparently breeds on the small rocliy islands, both in the north and 

 south of the Kegency. According to EJanc the species may frequently 

 be seen on the east coast in the month of June, and he has met with 

 it at that season near Sousa and in the Gulf of Gabes. In stormy 

 weather in winter it sometimes enters the Lake of Tunis. 



Loche states that the ytorm-Petrel is resident and breeds on 

 various rocky islands on the coast of Algeria, and that he has found 

 its eggs from the beginning of May till September, and young birds 

 from tlie end of May to the early part of October. 



The species has a fairly extensive range in the Atlantic and breeds 



