Mr. T. H. Potts on a new Species of Prion. 85 



VIII. — Notes on a supposed new Species of Prion. 

 By Thomas H. Potts, F.L.S. 



A short time since, amongst some birds which arrived at the 

 Canterbury Museum from Foveaux Straits, were specimens 

 of a Prion which, upon a careful inspection, could not be re- 

 ferred to either P. turtur or P. vittatus. 



This wanderer over the Southern Pacific Ocean does not 

 appear to be entitled to any special claim on the score of 

 rarity ; it is known to the Maories of Ruapuke as the Parera. 

 Although the familiar name of the Grey Duck (Anas superci- 

 liosa) is spelt Parera, it must be understood that the two 

 names are pronounced by the natives differently, as the accents 

 used are intended to indicate. 



This Prion breeds in holes on Papatea, or Green Island, near 

 Ruapuke, in Foveaux Straits ; descriptions are given below of 

 the adult bird, the young, and the egg. 



In considering this species it is to be noted that the bill is 

 of remarkable size ; it is considerably longer than the head, it 

 is much broader than that of P. vittatus ; the pectinated ap- 

 paratus of the upper mandible is very fully disclosed. Of 

 the primaries the first is quite as long as, even if it has not the 

 advantage when measured against the second quill ; the total 

 length exceeds that of P. vittatus by some inches. Should 

 ornithologists deem this bird to be a new species, it is pro- 

 posed to call it Prion australis, as one of its breeding-places 

 or stations is at, or near, our southern boundary. 



Prion australis, n. sp. " Parera; " Southern Prion. 



Diagnosis of adult : — 



Head dark bluish grey, mottled sparingly with black ; ear- 

 coverts rather slaty blue, bounded above and below irregularly 

 with white or yellowish white ; upper surface bluish grey ; sca- 

 pulars clouded with slaty black ; upper tail-coverts tipped with 

 the same, under surface white ; under tail-coverts white 

 lightly tinged with delicate ash grey ; quill-feathers, of which 

 the first two are longest and of about equal length, outer web 

 black, inner web white more or less stained with ash-grey; 

 tail bluish grey tipped with black ; chin naked, the skin 



