292 ASTOLA, A SUMMER CRUISE 



The Storm Petrel, sent by Captain Butler, the first of the 

 group which. I have examined from our Indian Seas (though I 

 have seen many at sea), belongs to the larger Australasian race 

 of the American species which Bonaparte named Wilsoni. 



By mere chance I had by me a specimen from the Atlantic, 

 of the true Wilsoni ; this is somewhat smaller than the preseut 

 bird, which corresponds in size exactly with a specimen from 

 Australia. 



The Atlantic specimen, a male, has the wing 5'8 and the 

 tarsus 1*32. Our present specimen, a female, has the wing 6'25 

 aud the tarsus 1*4. The bill too is larger ; but beyond this differ- 

 ence in size I cannot detect any grounds for separating the 

 Eastern and Western forms. 



The present specimen ( $ ) measured in the flesh : — 



Length, 7-12 ; expanse, 1637 ; tail, 30 ; wing, 625 ; tarsus, 

 1-4 ; bill at front, 05; from gape, 7. Outer toe and claw, 

 1-15; second quill longest; 1st, 0'3; 3rd, 0'3i> shorter. 

 Longest primary 3 - 8 longer than 1st secondary. Hind toe 

 obsolete; hind claw just visible as a tiny spur at the base of 

 the tarsus. 



General plumage deep sooty brown, blackish on primaries, 

 tertiaries, occiput, nape and tail ; secondary greater coverts 

 and latest secondaries wood brown or pale hair brown, narrowly 

 margined towards the tips with yellowish white; upper tail- 

 coverts, flanks, and bases of some of the external lateral uuder 

 tail-coverts pure white. Some few of the feathers of the lower 

 middle abdomen very narrowly fringed with white ; bill dull 

 black ; legs and feet polished black, with a conspicuous pale 

 yellow patch in the centre of each web ; irides blackish. 



Davison observed large numbers of this species one year in 

 July about the Moskaws, a group of islands off the Tenasserim 

 Coast, just north of the Mergui Archipelago. They are 

 believed to breed on this island, but the weather rendered it im- 

 possible to lower a boat. — A. 0. H.] 



976 bis.— Puffinus persicus, Hume. 



Whether this Shearwater=P. obscuvus, Gould, or not I can- 

 not say ; but, if not, it is certainly a very closely-allied species. 

 It is common all along the Mekran Coast, but of a shy nature, 

 and consequently difficult to procure. I never saw one on the 

 wing within shot of the boat, but occasionally, when resting on 

 the water, they allowed the steamer to approach within range, 

 and it was in this way that I shot the only specimen I secured. 

 Morning and evening they may be seen, always far out at sea, 

 sailing alono- close to the water, skimming often over several 

 waves with wings extended and motionless ; and then continuing 



