DIOMEDEID^ — THE ALBATROSSES — DIOMEDEA. 355 



Diomedea nigripes. 



THE BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS. 



Diomedea nigripes, Aud. Oni. Biog. V. 1839, 327 ; B. Am. VII. 1842, 198. — Ca.s.s. Illustr. B. Ciil. 



Tex. etc. 1853, 210, pi. 35. — CouEs, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliilad. 1866, 178; Key, 1872, 326; 

 Check List, 1873, no. 579 ; eil. 2, 1882, no. 811. — Emtnv. Noni. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 700. 

 Diomedea hrachyura (supposed young), Ca.s.s. Illustr. B. Cal. Tex. etc. 1853, 291. — Lawh. in 



Baii-d's B. N. Am. 1858, 822. 



Hab. North Pacific Ocean, including the west coast of North America. 



Sp. Char. Adult: Above, brownish dusky, the scapulars indistinctly margined terminally 

 with paler ; primaries nearly black, their sbalts clear straw-yellow ; upper tail-coverts and con- 

 cealed base of the tail white. Anterior portion of the head and auricular region dirtj- whitish, 

 shading gradually into brownish gray, except behind the eyes, where very abruptly defined against 



Adult. 



the blackish dusky of the sides of the occiput ; lower parts fuliginous-gray, deepest on the neck, 

 sides, and flanks, fading gradually into white on the crissum and middle portion of the abdomen. 

 Bill dusky purplish brown ; legs and feet black,^ Young : Sindlar, but head darker, showing 

 whitish only against the base of the bill, the lower parts entirely uniform smoky gray (darker than 

 in the adult), the upper tail-coverts dusky, like the rump. 



Total length, 28.50-32.50 inches ; extent, 79.50 ; wing, 18.50-21.50 ; culraen, 3.75-4.31 ; depth 

 of bill at base, 1.45-1.60 ; tarsus, 3.50-3.70 ; middle toe, 4.05-4.40. 



This species was first described by Audtibon from a specimen obtained by Mr. 

 Townsend, Dec. 25, 1834, on the Pacific Ocean, in latitude 50°. Nothing was then 

 known in regard to its habits, and it Avas supposed by Mr. Cassin to be an immature 



1 " Iris umber ; tarsus, foot, base and tip of bill, black ; remaiiKler of Mil plumbeous ;" of another 

 specimen, "iris umber or golden brown" (Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 5. pp. 160, 170). 



