354 Mr. O. Salvin — Critical 



In several respects this bird conforms to Latham's descrip- 

 tion of his White-breasted Petrel *, said to inhabit Turtle and 

 Christmas Islands ; but there are differences which make it 

 undesirable to make another, and probably fruitless, attempt 

 to identify this name, which has already been applied to 

 (Estrelata neylecta of the Kermadec Islands. Turtle Island 

 is probably Vatoa or Turtle I., one of the Fiji group ; and 

 Christmas I. the island of that name south of the Sandwich 

 Islands. 



PUFFINUS BULLERI, Sp. nOV. 



Supra saturate griscus, capite toto supra cum cervice postica 

 fuliginoso-nigris, loris et regione ophthalmica vix griseo 

 iutermixtis : tectricibus alarum minoribus fuliginoso- 

 nigris, majoribus extcrne griseis et extrorsum albo lim- 

 batis ; remigibus fuliginoso-nigris, pogonio interno bi- 

 triente interna nigra ; pagina alarum inferiore et corpore 

 subtus niveis, crisso utrinque schistaceo limbato : cauda 

 cuneata nigricante, rectricibus lateralibus griseo tinctis : 

 rostro obscure plumbeo, mandibula infra carnea; pedibus 

 extcrne corylinis, interne flavis : longit. tota (circ) 16*5, 

 alai 11 "3, caudffi rectr. med. 5-2, rectr. lat. 3*5, rostri a 

 rictu 2'6, a naribus 1*3, culminis nudi 17*5, tarsi 2"0. 

 Hah. New Zealand [W. L. Buller). 

 Mus. W. L. Buller et nostr. 



This distinct species appears to belong to the section of the 

 genus possessing long cuneate tails, of which P. chloro- 

 rhynchus is the best-known species. Its coloration at once 

 makes it easily recognizable, no other species having a grey 

 mantle, with which the dark head and dark wings are in 

 striking contrast, this style of coloration being characteristic 

 of many species of CEsirelata. 



The description is based upon two specimens, one of them 

 obtained by Sir Walter Buller in New Zealand. The other 



of the largest is Ailuk. There is a Krusensteni Rock lying to the west- 

 ward of the Sandwich Islands ; but this can hardly be the place whence 

 these Petrels were obtained, as the sea is described as only breaking in 

 one spot. Another Krusenstern Island lies in the narrowest part of 

 Behring's Straits. 



* White-breasted Petrel, Lath. Gen. Syn. vi. p. 400. 



Procellaria alba, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 665 j Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 822. 



