470 PROCELLARIID^E PUFFINUS 



below white ; the cheeks and sides of the neck grey, mottled with 

 white ; under tail-coverts white, mottled at the edges ; axillaries 

 and under wing- coverts white ; the edge of the wing dark brown. 



Bill yellow, tip yellowish-horn ; tarsi and toes yellow, darker 

 outwardly. 



Length about 18-5; wing 13-0; tail 4-75; culmen 2-10; tarsus 

 1-86; middle toe 2-2. 



Distribution. The Mediterranean Shearwater is common in the 

 sea from which it takes its name ; it is also found throughout the 

 Atlantic from, the coasts of Massachusetts and the Canaries and 

 Madeira southwards, and extends into the Southern Ocean as far 

 as Kerguelen at any rate, where examples were obtained by the 

 " Transit of Venus " Expedition. 



This Shearwater breeds on various small islands in the Mediter- 

 ranean and also in the Salvages Isles and the Canaries. 



The Novara Expedition obtained two examples of this bird in 

 September, 1857, at sea, to the west of the Cape of Good Hope in 

 36 S. lat., 5 E. long., and 35 S. lat., 7 E. long, respectively. 

 This is the only definite occurrence of the species in South African 

 waters which I have found recorded. 



786. Puffinus assimilis. Gould's Little Shearwater. 



Puffinis assimilis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 156 ; id. Bds. Australia, vii, 

 pi. 59 (1848) ; Sa-lvin, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 384 (1896) ; Shelley, Bds. 

 Afr. i, p. 167 (1896). 



Description. Adult. General colour above slaty-black ; the 

 bluish tinge most marked on the back of the neck ; below, including 

 the lower half of the face and sides of the neck white throughout ; 

 a patch of slaty-blue on either side of the breast; under wing- 

 coverts and the inner half of the inner web of the primaries below 

 white. 



Bill, basal half blue, distal half and nasal tubes black ; legs 

 blackish ; the webs between the toes yellowish. 



Length about 11-0 ; wing 7*0; tail 3-0; culmen 1-1; tarsus 1-4; 

 middle toe 1-6. 



Sexes alike. 



Distribution. This Shearwater was first described by Gould 

 from specimens obtained on the coast of New South Wales. It is 

 found throughout the Australian and New Zealand seas, extending 



