58 THE JBIEDS OF AUSTRALIA 



The Soft-plumaged Petrel. 



CEstrelata mollis. 



Southern Ocean, north in Atlantic Ocean to Madeira. 



Upper surface slate grey, feathers of forehead edged ■with white; 

 wings dark brown; black in front of and beneath the eye; sides of neck 

 freckled with grey; tail grey; under surface white. Total length about 

 14 inches, wing 10.3, tail 4.4, bill 1.4, tarsus 1.4. 



Nest at the end of a burrow. The egg is white, and measures 

 about 2.40 x 1.69 inch. 



The White-throated Petrel. 



CEstrelata irevipes. 



Australian seas, Antarctica and Pacific Ocean. 



Above dark ashy- grey, the feathers with broad grey margins; on 

 the wings a patch of black feathers; wing coverts black, the greater 

 series ashy-grey, with white fringes; crown of head and nape darker 

 than the back; forehead white, with a few small black spots; lores and 

 cheeks white; feathers below and round the eye and ear-coverts, black; 

 throat and under surface of body white; centre of fore-neck and breast 

 minutely freckled with grey. Total length about 10.5 inches; culmen 0.9; 

 wing 8.5; tail 3.8; tarsus 0.95. Sometimes these birds have a dark phase. 



The Brown-headed Petrel. 



CEstrelata solanderi. 



Australian seas. 



Dark grey, head dark brown, face and under surface greyish brown, 

 base of feathers white. Total length 18 inches, wing 12, tail, central 5, 

 lateral 3.8, bill 1.8, tarsus 1.7. 



The Mottled Petrel. 



CEstrelata gularis. 



New Zealand seas principally. 



All upper surface dark ashy grey, the feathers of the back being 

 margined with greyish black; primary quills marked with white on 

 their inner web; the secondaries are margined with white and wholly 

 white towards their base; forehead slightly mottled with white; lores 

 and throat white, and a spot of dark grey under each eye; upper part of 

 breast washed with grey, middle part and abdomen dark cinereous; sides 

 freckled with grey. Total length 13 inches, wing 10.5, tail 4, tarsus 1.2. 



These birds breed in Southern New Zealand, in very deep 

 burrows on the hillside. 



