368 Synopsis of the Birds 



Inhabits throughout the Atlantic Ocean : not rare on the 

 banks of Newfoundland, and in the northern British islands. 



68. PROCELLARIA. 



Procellaria, L. Gm. Lath. Briss. 111. Cuv. Vieill. Ranz. 



Procellaria, Boie. (as restricted.) Petrel propr. dit, Temm. 



Bill as long as the head, robust, broad, hard, sub-cylin- 

 drical, depressed at base, compressed and suddenly swelled 

 towards the point, edges sharp : upper mandible deeply 

 seamed each side, strongly hooked and acute at tip ; lower 

 shorter, narrower, ascending, angular beneath, truncated 

 at tip, with the end very distinct: nostrils united in a com- 

 mon tube on the top of the bill : tongue moderate, entire, 

 conic. Head large, somewhat rounded above ; eyes rather 

 large ; neck short, thick : body rounded, plump. Feet 

 stout, moderate ; naked space of the tibia much restricted ; 

 tarsus shorter than the middle toe; toes very long ; middle 

 one subequal to the outer; inner shortest; the lateral edged 

 exteriorly by a narrow membrane; webs full, entire, large; 

 hind toe merely a thick and obtuse nail : nails large, curved, 

 compressed, acute, channelled beneath, middle one largest, 

 dilated internally into a sharp edge. Wings very long, 

 acute; quills numerous ; first primary longest. Tail of four- 

 teen feathers, rounded or cuneiform. 



Female similar to the male. Young differing but little 

 from the adult. Moult twice a year without changing their 

 colors. Species large. Prevailing color white. 



Diurnal. Keep generally far at sea among rocks and ice- 

 bergs, seldom approaching the shore. Venturing farther 

 than any other bird, regardless of heavy seas and gales: 

 most active and numerous when a storm is approaching. 

 Fly, rest, and even walk on the waves. Flight with the wings 

 expanded, motionless. Feed on fishes, the flesh of dead ceta- 

 cea, mollusca, and other marine animals, and even vegeta- 

 bles. Breed in great companies in the clefts of Arctic rocks, 



