478 Mr. D. A. Bannerman on the Distribution of 



I have already touched on this question in the early part 

 of my paper, and shown that the geographical distribution 

 oE the Tubinares — even in the comparatively small area 

 embraced by this paper— is probably the most imperfectly 

 understood of all the genera of birds. 



The P. assimilis-gromp of Shearwaters is distinguished 

 from the P. /Aermmien- group by the following characters: — 

 In the first place the upper parts are slaty-blue-black (not 

 brown) J the bill is comparatively shorter, and the wing 

 much shorter; while both the inner web of the primary 

 quills and the under tail-coverts are mostly white. Mr. 

 Mathews has treated very fuUy this question in his ' Birds 

 of Australia/ vol. ii., and. I strongly recommend anyone 

 working on this difficult group to consult his exhaustive 

 work. 



1 have in the following pages discussed at some lengthy 

 under the heading of the separate groups of islands, the 

 breeding-season of this Shearwater. It will be seen that 

 there is considerable diversity with regard to the nesting- 

 time of this species, not only amongst the various groups 

 but often amongst the individual islands of one group. 

 For this reason I have not " summed up " the conclusions 

 at which I have arrived, as I am by no means certain that 

 there is sufficient data available to form any definite opinion 

 on this vexed question. 



Records of the Distribution and Breeding-habits of 

 Pu-ffmus assimilis baroll in the North Atlantic Islands. 



Jan. 17. Birds observed for the first time this year (Madeira 



Group) : Sclimitz. 

 Feb. 9. Several birds received and a few eggs collected, for 



the most part fresh (Porto Santo) : Schmitz. 

 10. Many eggs received, none much incubated (Porto 



Santo) : Schmitz. 

 13. Four more eggs obtained (Porto Santo) : Schmitz. 

 15. Seventeen eggs obtained, nearly all fresh (Island off 



Porto Santo) : Schmitz. 

 20. Obtained a fine series of perfectly fresh eggs (Madeira 



Group) : Schmitz. 



