THE WHALE BIRDS 265- 



Genus Ilalohaena. 

 Small. The nasal tube short. The lamella on the sides of the 

 palate i-ndimentary. First and second primaries sub-equaL 

 Twelve tail feathers. S(mthern Ocean. 



The Blue Petrel. 



Halohacua cacndea. 



Above, pale ashy blue. The forehead and nuder surface, white. Tail^ 

 grey tipped with white. Bill, black. The edge of the raaudible, blue. 

 Tarsi and toes, blue. The webs, flesh colour. Length of the wing, 8.5 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 1.3 in. Egg — 2 in. in length. A rare bird in the New 

 Zealand seas. 



The Whale Birds. 



Genus Prion. 



Small. The nasal tube short. The lamellte on the sides of the 

 palate well developed. Fii*st primary the longest. Twelve tail 

 feathers. Southern Ocean. 



The whale birds generally fly in flocks, with a zig-zag move- 

 ment and a sharp motion of the wings, like a snipe, and are 

 rarely seen to sit on the water. They are easily recognised when 

 flying by the dark mark, like W, on their expanded wings. They 

 breed in holes on all the islands round New Zealand, and the 

 egg is about 1.6 in. in length. 



Key to the Species. 



1. Wing from flexure, 9 to 10 iu. P. vittatus. 

 Wing from flexure, 8 to 9 in. 2 

 W^ing from flexure, 6 to 7 in. P. ariel. 



2. Upper mandible convex on the margin. P. banksi. 

 Upper mandible straight on the margin. P. desolatus. 



Prion vittatus. 

 Above light grey; over the eye and the lower surface white. 

 Shoulders and tip of the tail brownish black. Bill very wide, edges of 

 the maxilla distinctly convex; lamellae distinctly visible when the mouth 

 is shut. Bill blue; legs and feet light blue. Chin naked. Length of the 

 wings, 9.5 in.; of the tarsus, 1.3 in.; breadth of the bill at the end of the 

 nasal tube 0.8 in. Egg — 1.9 in. in length. Breeds on the Chatham 

 Islands. 



