BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 175 



* WHITE -HEADED PETREL 



(CEstrelata lessoni, Garnot). 



Male. Head white, a patch of black in front, round, and 

 behind the eye; neck and back light ashy-grey; the feathers on 

 the back have hoary-grey margins; centre tail feathers ashy-grey, 

 remainder mostly white ; shoulders and wing coverts inclined to 

 slaty-black; quills blackish, tinged with grey; entire under sur- 

 face pure white ; sides of chest light ashy-grey ; sides of body faint 

 ashy-grey; " bill black; tarsus and half the toes and webs lieshy- 

 white; tips of toes and their webs black " (Gould). Dirwensions in 

 mm. --Length, about 460; bill, 38; wing, 300; tail, 145: tarsus, 42. 



Female. Similar to male. 



Nest. A short burrow, the entrance of which is usually strewn 

 with green shoots of Acana. 



Eggs. Clutch one; inclined to oval in shape; texture fine, 

 surface glossy; colour dull white. Dimensions in mm. : 70 x 49. 



Breeding Season. The Rev. A. E. Eaton found young in the 

 burrows in September, and Mr. R. Hall found eggs in December 

 and January, both on Kerguelen Island. 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of Tasmania, Australia in 

 general, New Zealand, and South Indian Ocean generally. 



Observations. Very little is known of the habits of this fine 

 species, whose wing powers, according to Gould, far exceed those 

 of any of its congeners. There are but few records of the 

 White-headed Petrel being seen in Tasmanian waters. 



SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL 

 (CEstrelata mollis, Gould). 



Male. Crown of head slaty-brown; feathers round eye and a 

 patch below same black; upper surface slaty-grey; rump a shade 

 darker than back; tail ashy-grey; shoulders and wing coverts 

 blackish-brown; throat and whole of under surface pure white; 

 sides of neck ashy-grey; centre of upper fore-neck barred with 

 wavy lines of dark ashy-grey ; sides of body sparsely barred in a 

 similar manner; bill black; tarsus flesh colour. Dimensions in 

 mm. : Length, 315; bill, 25; wing, 220; tail, 92; tarsus, 32. 



Female. Similar to male. 



Nest. A rabbit-like burrow in the ground. 



Eggs. Clutch one; inclined to oval in shape; texture fairly 

 coarse; surface slightly glossy; colour pure white. Dimensions 

 in mm. : 69 x 41. 



Breeding Season. January, probably. 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of Tasmania (doubtful), Aus- 

 tralia in general (possibly), New Zealand, Southern Ocean, South 

 Atlantic and South Indian Oceans. 



