WILSON'S PETREL. i:>,7 



Length 18 inches, tail 5, wing 16, tarsus 1*2, hill from gape 4'2. The 

 female is of the same size. 



The Indian Skimmer or Scissordill (as it is sometimes termed, from 

 the very remarkable shape of the bill) is very abundant in all the large 

 rivers of the Province. Mr. Davison observed it only in the Sittang and 

 Salween rivers ; but Dr. Mason records it from the Tavoy river, much 

 further south. 



It is spread over the Indian peninsula, but it is not found in Ceylon. 

 It is probably common in the Indo-Burmese countries ; but I cannot 

 discover that it has ever been observed in China, Siam, Cochin China, or 

 any portion of the Malay peninsula. 



This Skimmer frequents large rivers, both where the water is tidal and 

 where it is sweet. It occurs in flocks, some of these occasionally number- 

 ing several hundred individuals, but more usually they go in small 

 companies of only four or five. They rest on sand-banks during the day- 

 time and become very active towards dusk, flying about and skimming 

 the surface of the water in a very graceful fashion. They appear to feed 

 principally on oil and fatty matter floating on the water, for I have never 

 seen them plunge into the water to capture fish. Occasionally they come 

 inland and fly over ponds and backwaters. They breed on sand- banks in 

 March and April, laying four eggs on the bare sand. 



Order XVI. TUBINARES. 

 Family PROCELLARIID^. 



Genus OCEANITES, Keys. & Bias. 

 776. OCEANITES OCEANICUS. 



WILSON'S PETREL. 



Procellaria oceanica, Kvld. liritr. z. Zool. p. 136, pi. 10. %. 1. Procellaria 

 wilsoni, Bonap. Journ. Acad. Phil, iii. pt. 2, p. 231, pi. i. tiir. i>. Thalas- 

 sidroma wilsoni, GnuM, B. Au*fr. vii. pi. >;">: Butler. & /-. f. p, 1'ul. 

 Thalassidroma - ?. ./m/. />'. Ltd ii. p. #27 : ////, \ /'. ii. p. 317: / 

 x. /'. iii. p. .".75. Oceanites oceanicus, .S'/</v 



p. ]23: Drew, Bird* Kur. viii. p. oO"), pi. ; If"' * !>'"' ' s - /'' vi. p. 1 '.'<: 

 . -v. /'. vii. p. 178 : ////;///. X. /'. uii. p. 11">: 1-. ,/</,-. Bird* Cri/lo,,, p. " 



Description. General colour dark sooty brown; upper tail-cov. 



