BIRDS. 247 



the food previously taken has been of an unctuous na- 

 ture : in some instances, indeed, its odour was too iden- 

 tical with that of train-oil to admit of any doubt as re- 

 gards its origin. 



I have made many attempts to accustom these birds 

 to captivity, but could never succeed. They were 

 tranquil in confinement, showed a propensity to attain 

 an elevated station by climbing, and uttered a low 

 chirping note, very unlike their natural harsh scream, 

 but invariably refused food, and died in a few days. 



The two wings of the pintado, when cut off from the 

 body, expanded, and placed together at their bases, are 

 employed and sold by the Chinese as an ornamental 

 fan. It is, when completed, of semicircular form, and 

 the black and white markings of both wings correspond 

 so well, that it has a very uniform and neat appearance. 



THE BRIDLED PETREL. 



(Procellaria, Sp. Nov. ?) 



This hitherto-undescribed member of the petrel 

 family was taken by hook and line, when we were ap- 

 proaching Cape Horn, in lat. 37 S., long. 51 W. It 

 was the only example of its kind noticed during the 

 voyage, and was a female. 



The colour of its plumage is uniformly black, with 

 the exception of a broad white band, passing across the 

 summit of the head, forming a semicircle in front of 

 each eye, and continued, on either side of the face, to 

 the chin : giving, by its powerful contrast, a very re- 

 markable striped or bridled appearance to the head. 

 The beak and legs are black, and present the usual 

 petrel peculiarities. Entire length of the specimen 

 twenty-three inches, breadth of the expanded wings 

 four feet seven inches. 



