BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 185 



Geographical Distribution. Seas of Tasmania, Australia, New 

 Zealand, and south coast of South America. 



Observations. " In mid-ocean one may see a small Petrel, 

 quite alone, flying fast and straight close over the wave tops, 

 until suddenly, like a stone, it disappears into the water. If 

 the sea is particularly calm it may be seen that its wings flap 

 rapidly for three or four strokes, then follows a quick, short sail, 

 the bird seldom rising more than a foot or two from the surface 

 of the water. Its flight seems to be hurried and in a straight 

 line, coming to an abrupt termination as the bird drops. It is 

 not easy to observe at sea, but its flight is so peculiar that it can- 

 not well be mistaken for any other form of Petrel." The above 

 description of the habits of P. exsul, a close ally of P. urinatrix, 

 by Dr. Wilson, may be taken as equally applying to the latter 

 species. 



The Diving-Petrel is to be found in small numbers in Bass 

 Strait, where it breeds on one of the islands of the Kent Group. 



Round the coast of New Zealand it is very plentiful, consorting 

 in flocks. 



Its food consists of medusae and other marine life. 



FAMILY-DIOMEDEID/E (6 species). 



*WANDERING ALBATROSS 



(Diotnedia exulans, Linn.) 



Male. General colour white; feathers of the back and mantle 

 crossed with narrow wavy brown lines ; tail white, irregu- 

 larly spotted with black near the tip; wings blackish- 

 brown mottled with pale brown, edges of wings white; 

 primaries blackish; secondaries browner; breast and sides 

 of body with tiny pale brown markings; under surface 

 of wings and under tail coverts white ; ' ' irides rich dark 

 brown ; bare eyelids greenish-purple ; bill white, with a pinky tinge, 

 yellowish horn coloured at the tip ; legs and feet flesh-white, some- 

 times with a pinky tinge. Total length, 40.5 inches; extent of 

 wings, 40; wing from carpal flexure, 24; tail, 8.5; bill, following 

 the curvature of upper mandible, 7 ; length of lower mandible, 6 ; 

 depth of bill at the base, 2.5; bare tibia, 1.5; tarsus, 5; middle toe 

 and claw, 6.5; greatest width of expanded foot, 6.5 " (Buller). 



Female. Similar to male. 



Young. "Above dark brown, paler on the neck, with a dark 

 patch on the crown and nape ; wing uniform darker brown ; fore- 

 head, sides of the head, and upper portion of the throat white; 

 under surface whitish, paler on the abdomen ; the flanks speckled; 

 under tail coverts brown; under wing coverts and axillaries white " 

 (B. M. Cat.) 



