WHITE-BELLIED STORM-PETREL. 21 



It recalls Pealea lineata Peale, but as the basal phalanx of the middle toe is longer 

 than the remaining joints and claw, it must be classed in the genus Fregetta. Its 

 measurements are : culmen (exp.) 14, wing (worn) 155, tarsus 37, and middle toe 

 without claw 21 mm. 



Genus FREGETTORNIS. 



Fregettornis Mathews, Birds Austr., Vol. II., pt. 1, p. 31, May 30th, 1912. Type (by original 

 designation) : Procellaria grallaria Vieillot. 



Small Storm-Petrels with short bills, long wings, long square tail, long legs and 

 small feet. The bill has the tubular nostrils semi-erect, the unguis weak but strongly 

 hooked, the laterals not much diverging ; the unguis of the lower mandible is weak, 

 the interramal space narrow and feathered. The wing is very long and the wing 

 formula as before. The tail is square and about half the length of the wing, the 

 feathers broad. The legs are long with tibia exposed, but rather short for this 

 series ; the toes are comparatively short with very short broad claws, and although 

 the usual proportions obtain, the toes all appear almost subequal. The hind -toe 

 is a mere speck, and the anterior toes fully webbed. 



Coloration as in preceding genus, but also unicolour phases occur. 



Fregettornis grallarius. WHITE-BELLIED STORM-PETREL. 



[Procellaria grallaria Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., Vol. XXV., p. 418, Dec. 26th, 1818 : 

 Australian Seas = South America. Extra-limital.] 



Gould, Vol. VII., pi. 63 (pt. xxvi.), March 1st, 1847. Mathews, Vol. II., pt. 1, pi. 72, May 

 30th, 1912. 



Fregettornis innominatus Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., pt. 7, p. 124, Jan. 28th, 1915: 

 Lord Howe Island. 



DISTRIBUTION. Lord Howe Island. 



Adult female (type of F. innominatus Mathews). Dark blackish-brown on the 

 head and neck ; mantle, back and scapulars blackish-brown, the feathers narrowly 

 margined with white ; median wing-coverts greyish-brown ; lesser wing-coverts, 

 bastard-wing, primary -coverts and quills black ; rump and upper tail-coverts white, 

 some of the feathers with black near the tip ; tail-feathers black, the four outer 

 feathers white on inner webs at bases ; breast, abdomen, axillaries, and inner under 

 wing-coverts pure white ; smaller coverts round the margin of the under wing black ; 

 under tail-coverts black with white bases ; bill and feet black ; iris brown. Total 

 length 215 mm. ; culmen 14, wing 164, tail 80, tarsus 37. 



Male and Young. Very similar to the female. 



Nest. A tunnel excavated about eighteen inches in a bank ; the end enlarged 

 to a hole about five inches in diameter and lined with a little dead grass on the 

 bottom to form a nest. 



Egg. Clutch, one ; dull white, slightly spotted at the larger end with reddish - 

 brown. Dimensions 33.5 by 25 mm. 



Breeding -season. January. (Lord Howe Island.) 



NOTE. Examination of Vieillot 's type proves that it is not the Lord Howe 

 Island subspecies but the South American. 



FAMILY PROCELLARIID^]. 



This may be a composite family, including as at present constituted the Shear- 

 waters, Fulmars, Prions and the Giant Petrel. The Shearwaters and Fulmars 



