316 Rev. F. C. R. Jourclaiu on the 



observer, it, nevertheless, breeds in small numbers on the 

 rocky islets off the coast, but owing to its crepuscular habits 

 has hitherto escaped notice. I obtained a single egg early 

 in June from an islet off the east coast. 



167. PuFFiNus KUHLii KUHLii (Boic). Mediterranean 

 Shearwater. 



Local name : Gnaia. Boie's original description of this 

 species was taken from a Corsican specimen (' Isis,' 1835, 

 p. 257), and as the Atlantic race is larger and lays a much 

 bigger egg, besides differing in shape of bill and in having 

 less white on the wings, it is rather surprising that 

 Mr. Godman does not recognise the distinctness of the two 

 races in his ' jMonograph of the Petrels.' Whitehead found 

 it breeding in fair numbers on the small islands near the coast. 

 The nesting-time is much later than that of the Levantine 

 Shearwater, and though some birds were found under the 

 boulders on INIay 3, the eggs were quite fresh on June 2. 

 The nest consists of a few feathers, bits of stick and seaweed, 

 and is placed under a boulder or large rock, often surrounded 

 by scrub, at some distance from the water. The birds bite 

 savagely when handled. Average size of nine Corsican eggs, 

 69-91 X 45-74; max. 73-2 x 44-4 and 69-9 x 48, min. 66-7 X 47 

 and 70x44*2 mm. On the other hand, thirty-three eggs 

 of the Atlantic race average 75*48x50-27 mm. Parrot 

 observed this species on the Isles Sanguinaires and in the 

 Gulf of Sagone. Shearwaters are common at sea between 

 the Isles d'Hyercs and Cap Corse, but are generally too 

 far off to be identified with certainty. They must, however, 

 belong to this or the next species. 



168. PuFFiNus PUFFINUS YELKOUAN ( Accrbi) . Levaufiue 

 Shearwater. 



This species also breeds in fair numbers on the islets off 

 the coast, but its nesting-season is much earlier, and 

 Whitehead found that the eggs taken by him on May 2 

 were almost hatched, some of them being already chipped. 

 All the nests examined by him were under rocks only 

 a few feet above high-water mark ; but on May 9 we 



