472 OBERHOLSER, The Genus Puffinus Brisson. (oor 
Iredale for Puffinus cuneatus Salvin, Puffinus bulleri Salvin, and 
Puffinus chlororhynchus Lesson, is, by reason of its long, wedge- 
shaped tail and heavy, anteriorly more truncate nasal tubes, held 
by us to be sufficiently distinct from typical Puffinus. 
The genus Alphapuffinus was proposed for Puffinus assimilis 
by Mr. Mathews,' and later extended to include also Puffinus 
lherminiert Lesson, and Puffinus persicus Hume. The characters 
given for this separation were the slenderer bill and more open 
nostril of Alphapuffinus. Examination of the species thus included 
and comparison with the species of true Puffinus show that these 
differences are merely individual variations, and do not form a 
basis for even subgeneric division. It is necessary, therefore, to 
synonymize Alphapuffinus Mathews with Puffinus Brisson. ‘ 
The case of Neonectris Mathews ? is a little different from that of 
Alphapuffinus. Messrs. Mathews and Iredale included in this 
group Puffinus tenuirostris tenuirostris (Temminck), Puffinus tenwi- 
rostris brevicaudus Gould, and Puffinus griseus (Gmelin). Of these 
forms, Puffinus tenuirostris brevicaudus is most different from 
Puffinus puffinus, the type of the genus Puffinus Brisson, and at 
first sight seems to be well differentiated generically; but by 
individual variation it intergrades completely through Puffinus 
tenurrostris tenuirostris and Puffinus griseus; in fact, some speci- 
mens of Puffinus griseus, in so far as their structural characters are 
concerned, might be placed either in the Puffinus tenutrostris 
brevicaudus group or with Puffinus puffinus. In view of these facts 
it is quite impossible to recognize the genus Neonectris as distinet 
from Puffinus. Indeed, it is unsatisfactory as even a subgeneric 
division. 
Puffinus couesi Mathews. 
In the treatment of the genus Puffinus in Mathews’ ‘Birds of 
Australia,’ there is an extended discussion of the nomenclature 
and relationships of Puffinus opisthomelas Coues and Puffinus 
auricularis Townsend.’ The author, from studying the original 
1 Austral Avian Record, II, No. 5, September 24, 1914, p. 110 (type by original designa- 
tion and monotypy, Puffinus assimilis Gould). 
2 Austral Avian Record, II, No. 1, August 2, 1913, p. 12 (type by original designation, 
Puffinus brevicaudus Gould). 
3 Mathews, Birds Australia, II, part 1, May 30, 1912, pp. 65-67. 
