PUFFIN us. 355 



length ; claws flattened and broad, spade-shaped, pointed at the 

 end. 



This genus of Petrels is chiefly found in the Southern Oceans, 

 but one species appears to have been obtained in the Bay of 

 Bengal. 



1537. Cymodroma melanogaster. The Dusky-vented Petrel. 



Thalassidroma melanogaster, Gould, A. M. N. H. xiii, p. 367 



(1844). 



Cymodroma melanogaster, Ridgway, Man. N. Am. Birds, p. 72 ; 

 'Sttlvin, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 364. 



Coloration. Upper parts blackish brown, head, quills, and tail 

 blacker, back and wing-coverts browner; upper tail-co\erts and 

 bases of all rectrices, except the middle pair, white ; lower parts 

 to abdomen, middle of lower abdomen, and long under tail-coverts 

 dark sooty-brown; greater part of abdomen, flanks, and wiiig- 

 lining, except near the edge of the wing, white ; base of feathers 

 of throat and sometimes the ends also white. 



Bill and legs black. 



Length 8; tail 3; wing 6-5 ; tarsus 1-6; hill from gape '83. 



Distribution. Southern Oceans, the range extending in the 

 Atlantic as far north as the tropic of Cancer. A single specimen 

 from the Tweeddale Collection, labelled " Bay of. Bengal " in the 

 Marquis of Tweeddale's handwriting, is in the British Museum, 

 and is the only authority for the occurrence of this species m 

 Indian JSeas. There appears, however no reason to doubt the 

 accuracy of the label. 



Genus PUFFINUS, Brisson, 1760. 



The Shearwaters, as they are generally termed, are birds of 

 moderate size, with a long, slender, compressed bill much hooked 

 at the tip, and with both mandibles curving downward at the 

 end. The tubular nostrils terminate in two distinct oblique 

 oritices, directed forward and upward, with a broad division 

 between them. Wings long, 1st quill longest. Tail of 12 feathers, 

 moderately long, graduated, rounded at the end. Tarsus com- 

 pressed, sharp in iront, reticulated, shorter than the middle and 

 outer toes, which are subequal ; hind claw distinct. 



The genus is distributed throughout the Oceans, and 20 species 

 are recognized in the British Museum Catalogue ; of these two have 

 been obtained in Indian seas. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Plumage dark brown throughout P. chlcrorhynchus, p. 356. 



b. Lo\\er suriace white P. persicus, p. 006. 



2 A 2 



