376 THE TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS — TUBINAEES. 



Genus PUFFINUS, Beisson. 



Puffinus, Briss. Orn. VI. 1760, 131 (type, Proccllaria puffinus, Brt/xk., = P. anglorum, Temm. ). 

 Nedris, Bonap. (ex Forst. ), Consp. II. 1856, 201 (type, Puffinus brevicaudus, Brandt). 



Char. Similar to Priofinus, but bill much slenderer, the nasal tubes not more than half as 

 long as the maxillary unguis, depressed anteriorly, ascending basally, the nostrils opening obliquely 



P. Slricklandi. 



upward, usually narrower, and separated by a thick septum ; culmen much shorter than the 

 tarsus ; space between the nasal tubes and the unguis equal to about three fourths the length of 

 the latter. 



Synopsis of American Species of Puffinus. 



A. Lower parts white. 



a. Bill stout, the depth through the base equal to one third its length ; nostrils circular. 



1. P. Kuhlii. Above, brownish gray, the dorsal feathers tipped with paler ; sides of the head 



and neck, along the line of junction of the gray and white, transversely undulated with 

 these colors. Wing, about 13.0(1-14.00 inches ; culmen, 1.80-2.00 ; depth of bill through 

 base, .05-75 ; tarsus, 1.S5-2.00 ; middle toe, 2.10-2.25. Hah. Middle Atlantic, chiefly 

 the eastern side. 



2. P. borealis. Similar to P. Knhli, but much larger. Wing, 14.50 inches ; tail, 6.50 ; 



culmen, 2.25 ; depth of bill through base, .75 ; tarsus, 2.20 ; middle toe, 2.30. Hub. Off 

 coast of Massachusetts. 

 6. Bill slender, the depth through the base decidedly less than one third the total length ; 

 nostrils longitudinally oval, more horizontal. 



3. P. major. Above, sooty grayish brown, the dorsal feathers with paler tips ; longer upper 



tail-coverts mostly white ; abdomen more or less clouded with smoky gray or grayish 

 brown; flanks and crissum chiefly grayish brown; bill dusky. Wing, 11.50-13.00 

 inches; culmen, 1.80-1.85; depth of bill at base, .60-.65 ; tarsus, 2.20-2.25; middle 

 toe, 2.40-2.50. Hah. Atlantic Ocean generally. 



4. P. creatopus. Above, sooty slate, the dorsal leathers with paler tips; no white on upper 



tail-coverts ; malar region, sides of the throat, and sometimes the anal region, indistinctly 

 barred, or transversely spotted, with grayish ; flanks and crissum sooty grayish ; bill pale 



