PUFFINUS CINEREUS. 



point so as to correspond with the upper, its apex slender and acute, no 

 prominent angle behind apex inferiorly. Tarsi somewhat compressed, and 

 coated with moderately large polygonal scales. Toes, superiorly, covered 

 partly with irregular shaped scales, and partly with transverse scutce : the 

 interdigital membranes near the toes coated with irregular sized scales, those 

 along the inside of outer toe largest ; claws pointed and slightly curved, the 

 hinder one somewhat triangular, and placed upon the tarsus. Wings long, and 

 when folded extend nearly an inch and a half beyond the tail, first quill 

 feather longest. Tail rounded, the two middle feathers nearly three quarters 

 of an inch longer than the external one of each side. 



DIMENSIONS 



Inches. Liaes. 

 Length from the point of tlie bill to 



the tip of the tail 17 



of the bill from the angle of 



themouth 2 



of the wings when folded 11 9 



ofthetail 10 



Length of the tarsus 



of the outer toe 

 of the middle toe . . 



of the inner toe 



of the hinder claw 



The colours of the other sex are not known. 



I hesitated long before I came to the determination to regard this bird as the young of Pro- 

 cellaria piiffinus, especially as Temminck, whose knowledge must be held in great respect by 

 every naturalist, makes the young " peut-itre d'un mi" as very differently coloured from what it 

 must be considered, if our conclusion be correct. His bird of the first year will, if we are not 

 in error, be one of the second year, and Plate 962 of the " Planches enluminees" will be the repre- 

 sentation of a specimen which has attained its second plumage. Specimens in the garb we have 

 described are common on the Cape seas, and generally seen in company with others, which are 

 doubtless genuine examples of P. cinerea ; and one of the latter which we possess has tended 

 more than any thing else to satisfy me that the bird just described is the young of the species, 

 as in it the middle of the belly and flanks retain the immature plumage, though elsewhere the 

 feathers have acquired the colours of the adult bird. There are persons who consider it super- 

 fluous to represent the young of a species when the adult has been figured, but we disclaim 

 such a belief ; we consider information concerning the aspects under which a species appears to 

 be as essential for the naturalist as the knowledge of new species : indeed, until more attention 

 be paid to that, we shall have among the species introduced from day to day many which 

 will be found to be only specimens of known species in particular stages. 



