PSEUDOPEION DESOLATUS. 



33 



that in my monograpli I did not identify Gmelin's name, merely quoting his description, 

 and adding to it a description of Schlegel's from the same specimen that Kuhl handled ; 

 both these authors having considered it the same as Gmelin's bird. It would appear, 

 however, that such is not the case, especially as we have Kamtschatka assigned as a 

 locality. 



The bird here treated is Pseudoprion ianlcsii of my paper, but whether the lanhsii of 

 authors I am now uncertain. It is also, I have now no doubt, the original P. desolata 

 of Gmelin, as correctly allocated by Gray, and, consequently, in part the Mstrelata 

 desolata of my paper, but is apparently not the desolata of late authors. 



The expressions used by Gmelin in reference to the dark band running clear across 



the body and wings, and the dark tip to the tail, point to a Prion, not to one of the 



CEstrelatoe. — C. 



List of specimens, ivith measurements. 



S§3 



i 

 a 



a 



























g« 























& 





.2 P 

 » a 

























Remarks. 



§a 



e3 







.a 



4i 















<D 





^.2 



P 



'So 



ID 



02 



n 



g 



be 



p 



^ 





IS 









r3 





o 



^ 



Hi 





^ 



3 

 H 



s 



W 





g 



S 









1874. 























6S926 



100 



Nov. 24 



rf 



10.50 



23. 35 



7.25 



3.85. 



1.15 



1.60 



1.25 



1.25 



0.25 



Skin. 





137 



Dec. 10 





11.25 



24.00 



7.15 



4.00 



1.15 



1.50 



1.25 



1.25 



0.25 



Alcobol. 





138 



Dec. 10 





11.00 



24.10 



7.50 



4.00 



1.25 



1.60 



1.25 



1.25 



0.25 



Do. 





170 



Dec. 16 





10.75 



24.25 



7.75 



4.00 



1.15 



1.50 



1.30 



1.25 



0.35 



Do 





171 



Dec. 16 





10.75 



24.15 



7.25 



3.75 



1.20 



1.60 



1.35 



1.50 



0.25 



Do. 



Bill lavender-blue, widened at base ; upper mandible sharply hooked. 



Ifostrils similar to those of Halohwna ccerulea, but more distinctly 

 separated. 



Iris invisible during life, bluish-gray. 



Sead blue-gray above; white line above eye; blue line from posterior 

 angle of eye to join the tint at the back of the head ; throat and region 

 around base of bill white. 



Body generally paler than that of Halobcena ccerulea, but marked by a 

 dark band running from wrist-joint along radial portion of wing to and 

 across rump. This band becomes very distinct, when the bird is Hying, 

 as a V-shaped marking. 



Tarsus and foot lilac-blue; claw black at tip, lilac or white at base; 

 middle claw turns sharply outward. 



Tail marked by a black band of one-half inch at the tip. 



This bird was at first confounded by me with Halohcena ccerulea^ which, 

 in life, it greatly resembles. It was much less common at our station 

 than Halobcena, none being observed until November 24 ; is smaller, 

 much more pugnacious, and distinguished, on superficial examination, 

 by the darJc band at the tips of the tail-feathers; Halobcena showing a 

 white band in the same part. The beak, tarsus, and foot also are lav- 

 ender-blue in Pseudoprion, but black in Halobcena. 



Fseudoprion burrows near the sea-shore, in lowland, under stones, or 

 3 



