Okbek ANSEBES.] [Fam. PEOCELLAEIULE. 



PKOCELLAKIA LESSON! 



(WHITE-HEADED PETREL.) 



Proeellaria lessonii, Garnot, Ann. Sci. Nat. vii. p. 54, pi. 4 (1826). 

 Procellaria leucoeephala, Forst. Descr. Anim. p. 206 (1844). 

 Rhantistes lessoni, Bonap. C. R. xlii. p. 768 (1856). 

 Astrelata leucocephala, Bonap. Consp. Av. ii. p. 189 (1857). 

 Mstrelata lessonii, Cass. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1862, p. 327. 

 Fulmarus lessoni, Gray, Hand-1. of B. iii. p. 106 (1871). 



Ad. pileo summo et facie laterali albidis : regione ante- et suboculari nigricante : collo postico et laterali albi- 

 cante obsolete cinereo transfasciato : interscapulio et dorso superiore obscure cinereis, ad apicem obsolete 

 fulvescente fasciatis : dorso postico et uropygio saturate fuliginosis, supracaudalibus albis, versus apicem 

 ciuerascentibus : tectricibus alarum fuliginoso-brunneis, majoribus extus cinereis : remigibus fuliginoso- 

 bnmneis, intus ciuerascentibus : cauda alba, pennis centralibus supra cinereis, reliquis plus minusve 

 obsolete brunneo vermiculatis : corpore subtiis albo : subalaribus fuliginoso-brunneis : rostro nigro : 

 pedibus obscure flavis, digito externo et palmis partim nigris : iride nigra. 



Adult. Crown of the bead and nape greyisb white, obscurely and minutely freckled witb darker grey; back, 

 mantle, and rump cinereous grey ; upper surface of wings brownisb black, tbe larger coverts narrowly 

 edged witb greyish white ; sides of the head white, with a broad mark of brownish black crossing the 

 eyes ; throat, fore neck, and all the underparts pure white ; primaries and secondaries brownish black, 

 lighter on their inner webs ; tail-feathers pale cinereous grey on their upper surface, and freckled at the 

 tips ; inner lining of wings sooty black, varied with grey. Irides and bill black ; tarsi and a portion of 

 the feet dull yellow ; the outer toe of each foot and a diagonal patch across the webs black. Total 

 length 18 inches; wing, from flexure, 12; tail 5 - 5 ; bill, following the curvature of upper mandible 1*9, 

 length of lower mandible l m 7 ; tarsus 1*6; middle toe and claw 2 - 5. 



I have never seen this fine Petrel in New Zealand, and it is evidently very rare. The example 

 figured in our Plate was obtained at the Bay of Islands, and is now in the British Museum. 



Mr. Gould has given the following account of this species in his ' Birds of Australia : ' — 

 " While engaged in watching the movements of the several species of the great family of Pro- 

 cellaridce, which at one time often and often surrounded the ships that conveyed me round the 

 world, a bright speck would appear on the distant horizon, and, gradually approaching nearer and 

 nearer, at length assume the form of the White-headed Petrel, whose wing-powers far exceed 

 those of any of its congeners : at one moment it would be rising high in the air, at the next 

 sweeping comet-like through the flocks flying around; never, however, approaching sufficiently 

 near for a successful shot ; and it was equally wary in avoiding the boat with which I was fre- 

 quently favoured for the purpose of procuring examples of other species." He states, moreover, 

 that during flight the dark colouring on the wings shows very conspicuously, assuming the form 

 of the letter W. 



