Oedek ANSERES.] [Fait. PROCELLARIID^E. 



PEION TUBTUR 



(DOVE PETREL.) 



Procellaria turtur, Kuhl, Monogr. Procell. p. 143, pi. xi. fig. 8 (1820, ex Banks MS.). 



Prion turtur, Gould, Ann. N. H. xiii. p. 366 (1844). 



Prion ariel, Gould, Ann. N. H. xiii. p. 366 (1844). 



Halobcena typica, Bonap. C. P. xiii. p. 768 (1856). 



Procellaria ariel, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Proc. p. 18 (1863). 



Pseudoprion turtur, Coues, Proc. Phil. Acad. 1866, p. 166. 



Pseudoprion ariel, Coues, Proc. Phil. Acad. 1866, p. 166. 



Native name. — Whiroia. 



Ad. supra pulehre et saturate cinereus, scapularibus brunnescentibus albo terminatis : tectricibus alarum dorso 

 concoloribus, minimis brunnescentibus : remigibus fuliginoso-brunneis, intus albis, secundariis cinereis : 

 cauda cinerea, ad apicem brunneo fasciata, : facie antica alba minute cinereo punctulata, : supercilio albo 

 ab oculo postico supra regionem paroticam ducto : plumis subocularibus et regione parotica cinereis : 

 facie laterali et corpore reliquo subtus albo, pectore laterali summo et hypochondriis imis pulehre cine- 

 reis : subalaribus albis : rostro clare cinereo, ad basin nigricante : pedibus pallide cinereis, antice viridi 

 lavatis, palmis albicanti-canis ; iride nigricanti-brunnea. 



Adult. Crown of tbe head, back of neck, and upper parts generally delicate blue-grey ; a small spot in front 

 of the eyes and a streak below them greyish black ; space surrounding the bill, the lores, a broad line 

 above and continued beyond the eyes, the throat, fore neck, and all the under surface pure white, tinged 

 on the sides of the body and flanks with blue-grey ; the primaries and their coverts are black on their 

 outer webs ; a black band with fading edges covers the smaller wing-coverts, and passes across the lower 

 region of the back and the scapulars, leaving the tips of the latter white; and when the wings are 

 expanded this assumes the form of a crescent ; the middle tail-feathers are blackish towards the tips, 

 and their under-coverts are tinged with blue. Irides brownish black ; bill bluish grey, darker on the 

 sides, and inclining to black at the base ; legs and feet light blue, tinged with green in front, the webs 

 whitish grey. Total length 10 inches ; extent of wings 20'5 ; wing, from flexure, 6 ; tail 3*5; bill, along 

 the ridge 1, greatest width at base - 4, length of lower mandible '75 ; tarsus 1*1; middle toe and claw l - 5. 



This charming little Petrel is extremely abundant off our coasts, and I have often observed flocks 

 of them on the wing together numbering many hundreds. In boisterous weather it appears to 

 suffer more than any other oceanic species from the fury of the tempest, and the sea-beach is 

 sometimes found literally strewn with the bodies of the dead and dying. I have frequently 

 watched them battling, as it were, with the storm, till at length, unable longer to keep to wind- 



