PurpiNus, 435 



Two specimens from the same locality have been lent me by Mr, Rothschild, 

 and these are very like the members of the P. obscurus-group, but larger than any 

 of them. 



Mr. Anthony noticed P. auricularis when crossing from Cape San Lucas to San 

 Benedicto, and also on the island itself, and afterwards about Socorro, but found no 

 evidence of its nesting in the last-named place *. 



On San Benedicto he procured many quite young birds in the last week of May ^, 

 and also met with it breeding on Clarion Island, full-grown young being taken in the 

 same month. The burrows were confined to the higher parts of San Benedicto, about 

 500 feet above the sea, amongst tangled grass, and were well scattered, seldom more 

 than a dozen being seen together. They were not so long nor so deep as those of 

 P. opisthomdas on Natividad, averaging about five feet in length. The colonies on 

 Clarion Island were more extensive, each suitable patch of grass being well populated. 



3. Puffinus auduboni. 



Pvffinus auduboni, Finsch, P. Z. S. 1 872, p. Ill ^ ; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. 



ii. p. 386 ' ; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 32 ^ 

 Puffinus obscurus auduboni, Rothsch. & Hartert, Nov. Zool. vi. p. 195 ■". 

 Puffinus obscurus (nee Gm.), Coues, Pr. Acad. Philad. 1864, pp. 137°, 144"; Salvin, Cat. Birds 



Brit. Mus. XXV. p. 382 (part.)''. 



Puliginoso-nigricans, vix cinereo adumbratus : subtus pure albus, hypocbondriis imis brunneo irroratis, latius 

 fuliginoso-nigro striatis, plumis nonnuUis intus rigricantibus ; subcaudalibus albis, longioribus brunneis ; 

 loris et facie lateral! cum regione parotica et colli lateribus distincte ciuereo lavatis j subalaribus albis, 



in thousands on Natividad, a small island lying about thirty-five miles south of the San Benito group. The 

 burrows of these birds extended for about ten feet, seldom, if ever, straight, the nest being at the end, and 

 rarely more than eighteen inches below the surface. 



Eggs from Natividad have been presented by Mr. Anthony to the British Museum °. 



The following allied form has been recorded as occurring from " California to Chile," but there is no direct 

 evidence of its having been found on the coast of Central America or on the adjacent islands. 



Fnffiuus creatopus. 



Pvffinus creatopus, Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1864, pp. 131 ', 144 ^; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water- 

 Birds N. Amer. ii. p. 383 ^ A. 0. U. Gheck-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 32^ Salvia, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus. XXV. p. 376 *. 

 P. (ypisthomelani similis, sed multo major, remigibus basin versus conspioue albis, gutture imo et praepectore 

 medio pure albis, plumis minime cinereo fimbriatis, axillaribus quoque fere cinereis, albo marmoratis vel 

 fasciatis, oauda magis cuneata distinguendus : rostro flavicante, apice corneo ; pedibus flavis, extus 

 saturatioribus. Long, tota circa 18-0, alse 13"0, caudse 4-3, culm. 1-75, tarsi 2-1. (Descr. maris adulti 

 ex Monterey. Mus. Brit.) 

 Hal. Wesiben Coasi of Amekica feom Califoenia to Chile" ; Jttan Peexandez I.'. 



P. creatofus is similar to P. opisthomelas, but is very much larger, the wing exceeding twelve inches in 

 length, and also differs in the other characters given above. 



55* 



