BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 157 



black; bill dark brown; tarsi and toes greyish-black, the claws 

 darker" (Buller). Dimensions in mm.: Length, 420; bill, 30; 

 wing, 300; tail, 140; tarsus, 40. 



Female. Similar to male. 



Immature. "Streaked and mottled with various shades of 

 brown on the upper surface ; mantle chiefly umber ; upper tail 

 coverts barred with dark brown, white, and rufous; under surface 

 more or less barred with brown on a paler ground " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nestling. " Sooty-brown above, paler below " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. " Constructed rather carelessly of grass, moss, and 

 fragments of heather, and situated on the ground amongst heather 

 in marshy or uncultivated moorland (Butler) ; ' (A. J. Campbell). 



Eggs. "Two in number; ground colour dark chocolate- 

 brown, varying to light clay colour, the darker eggs more strongly 

 marked with deep brown or blackish, the spots being distributed 

 over the greater part of the egg, and the grey underlying markings 

 very indistinct. The pale eggs have the spots collected round 

 the larger end, the rest of the egg being rather free from markings. 

 Axis 2.3-2.55, diameter 1.5-1.65 " (R. B. Sharpe). 



Breeding Season. June and July. 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of Tasmania, New South 

 Wales, Victoria, and New Zealand; also off the southern coast of 

 Africa, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and ranging northwards to 

 Arctic and sub-Arctic regions to breed. 



Observations. To Mr. A. J. Campbell belongs the honour of 

 having first recorded this species for Australia. In 1883 he noticed 

 individuals about Port Phillip Bay when returning from a trip to 

 Tasmania. 



ORDER TUBINARES : TUBE-NOSED 



SWIMMERS. 



FAMILY PROCELLARIID/E (5 species). 

 Sub- Family Oceanitinae. 



*YELLOW-WEBBED STOEM-PETEEL (WILSON'S PETREL) 



(Oceanites oceanicus, Kuhl). 



Male. Upper surface sooty-brown, tinged with leaden-grey ; 

 upper tail coverts white ; tail black ; primaries and secondaries 

 black ; throat same as back ; rest of under surface a shade lighter ; 

 a patch of white feathers on each side of the vent; " bill entirely 

 black ; feet and toes black, the webs black at the outer border, and 

 black also along the sides of the outer digits, but otherwise bright 

 orange from the base of the first phalange to a point level with the 

 second phalange; claws black; iris dark brown " (Edward Wilson). 



