24 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. II. 



of the species of Pterodroma and Puffinus, he noted 

 how, through neglect of these features, these appeared 

 to have been wrongly classed in previous monographs. 

 He was unable to examine juveniles of the species of 

 Procellaria, but concluded " that it is probable Procellaria 

 should be associated with Puffinus.'' 



Being much interested in the study of nestling-Petrels, 

 I was delighted to see a fine series of the present species, 

 including downy nestlings. The bill-characters justify 

 Mathews's remarks and clearly prove his acumen in 

 dealing Avith this difficult group. 



The bill, still retaining the egg-tooth, is much more 

 solid and shorter than in typical Puffinus, though of 

 that character ; the nasal tubes lie on each side of the 

 culmen-ridge, but are more developed and horny, well 

 differentiated from the other lateral bill-mass, and the 

 openings are much more vertical than in the genus 

 Puffinus. The nail is also very heavy, and thus strongly 

 characterises the bill when compared with Puffinus. 



There can be no doubt whatever that the affinity of 

 the genus Procellaria, accepting the present species, as 

 typical, is with the genus Puffinus {sensu lat.). 



Pterodroma macroptera gouldi (Hutton). 



A series of seven specimens from Mototiri Island 

 attracted attention as they all had grey faces, the char- 

 acter assigned to this race by Hutton. 



Pterodroma mollis Gould. 



It is worthy of record that " molhs," as identified by 

 Reischek, is P. lessoni leucocephala Forster, two specimens 

 being in the collection, the data given being — 

 "(^ May, 1885, Kaipara, North Island. 

 O February, 1888, Antipodes Island." 



Prioistitic Petrels. 

 Mathews, in the Birds of Australia, Vol. II., 1912, 

 attempted a scientific treatment of these birds, his 



