490 WILSON'S PETREL. 



ther long, narrow and pointed, the dorsal line beyond it very slightly 

 concave and decurved, the sides erect, the edges sharp, the dip slightly 

 decurved. 



Head of moderate size, roundish, anteriorly narrowed. Neck short. 

 Body rather slender. Feet long, very slender ; tibia bare at its lower 

 part ; tarsus very slender, reticulate, anteriorly with a long plate which is 

 very slightly marked. Hind toe conical, so minute as scarcely to be per- 

 ceptible ; anterior toes rather long and extremely slender, obscurely scutel- 

 late above, connected by striated webs with concave margins ; the third 

 and fourth toes longest, and about equal. Claws slender, arched, de- 

 pressed, acute. 



Plumage very soft, blended, the feathers distinct only on the Avings, 

 which are very long; primary quills tapering, but rounded, the third 

 longest, the second slightly longer than the fourth, the first much shorter 

 and a little longer than the sixth ; secondaries short, the outer incurved, 

 obliquely rounded. Tail rather long, even, of twelve broad rounded 

 feathers. 



Bill and feet black, but the webs yellow excepting at the margin. 

 Iris dark brown. The general colour of the plumage is dark greyish- 

 brown, the quills and tail brownish-black, the outer secondary wing-co- 

 verts and some of the secondary quills light greyish-brown, and tipped 

 with whitish. The rump, sides of the abdomen, and exterior lower tail- 

 coverts, white. 



Length to end of tail 1^ inches, to end of wings 8, to end of claws 8 ; 

 extent of wings 15| ; wing from flexure 6 ; tail 3| ; bill along the back 

 j\, along the edge of lower mandible ^% ; tarsus 1|, middle toe 1, its 

 claw /j. Weight Ig^ oz. 



Adult Female. Plate CCLXX. Fig. 2. 

 The Female resembles the male. 



