Order ANSERES.j [Fam. PROCELLAKllD.E. 



THALASSIDKOMA MELANOGASTER. 



(BLACK-BELLIED STORM-PETREL.) 



Proeellaria grallaria, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 83 (1823). 

 Thalassidroma melanogaster, Gould, Ann. N. H. xiii. p. 367 (1844). 

 Fregetta melanogastra, Bonap. C. K. xlii. p. 769 (1856). 

 Proeellaria melanogastra, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Proc. p. 6 (1863). 



Ad. fuliginoso-bi'imneus, tectricibus alarum majoribus pallidius bnmnescentibus : gula, albo varia, plumis basa- 

 liter albis : corporis lateribus, supracaudalibus, subalaribus et axillaribus albis : subcaudalibus fuliginosis 

 albo terminatis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride nigrd. 



Adult. General plumage sooty black, darker on the wings and tail ; sides of the body, flanks, and long 

 upper tail-coverts pure white ; some of the under tail-coverts on each side edged with white ; long 

 inner wing-coverts and axillary plumes pure white. Irides black ; bill and legs black. Total length 

 9 inches ; wing, from flexure, 6'5 ; tail 3 ; bill, along the ridge "75, along the edge of lower mandible - 9 ; 

 bare tibia '75 ; tarsus 1*5 ; middle toe and claw 1 - 1. 



Occasional examples of this Storm-Petrel are recorded; and specimens are to be found in the 

 Auckland, Nelson, and Canterbury Museums, all obtained on the adjacent coasts. Mr. Gould, 

 who met with it in great abundance, in March 1840, between the eastern coast of Australia and 

 New Zealand, observes : — " It is a bird of powerful flight, and pats the surface of the rising 

 waves more frequently than any other species that came under my notice ; or perhaps the great 

 length of its legs rendered this action more conspicuous. Its habits and general economy are of 

 course very similar to those of the other members of the genus." 



During stormy weather it often follows in the wake of the labouring vessel, and apparently 

 for days together. I observed this myself, in 1856, during a severe gale, experienced off the 

 Chatham Islands, which lasted nearly a fortnight. These Storm-Petrels followed us day and 

 night ; and it was some relief to the extreme monotony and misery of our situation (for our vessel 

 was a mere schooner of 80 tons) to watch the movements of these fairy-like beings as they 

 danced among the surging billows, running with fluttering wings in the hollow of the waves, and 

 then hovering over their foaming crests with the lightness of summer butterflies. I observed 

 that the same individual bird often remained in our wake for considerable distances, without ever 

 resting on the water or changing its course for one moment, its powers of endurance being truly 

 wonderful. 



