Tribe LONGIPENNES.i 

 Family PR CELL AEID AE. The Petrels. 



Ch. — Bill more or less lengthened, compressed, and deeply grooved, appearing to be 'brmed of several distinct parts ; the tip 

 s strong, much hooked, and acute ; the nostrils open from distinct tubes, either single or double, and are situated at the base 

 of the upper mandible. 



All the birds embraced in this family are strictly oceanic, some of tbe smaller species only 

 being observed in bays near the ocean during or after a storm. They vary greatly in size, some 

 being quite diminutive, while others are equal in dimensions to the largest known birds of 

 flight. 



Two sub-families, namely, Diomedeinae and Procellarinae, constitute this family, the dis- 

 tinguishing characters of which are as follows : 



Diomedeinae. — Bill very strong, curved, and acute at the end ; nostrils short, tubular, and 

 situated on the sides of the upper mandible near the base. 



Pkocellamnab. — Bill more or less strong, curved at the end, and pointed ; nostrils tubular , 

 situated on the culmen, near the base, and opening forwards. 



Sub-Family DIOMEDEINAE.— The Albatrosses. 



Ch. — These birds have powerful bills, much curved, and pointed at the end; the nostrils resemble short pipes, and are 

 situated on each side of the upper mandible, near the base of the lateral groove ; feet large and webbed. 



They possess great extent of wing, and, consequently, very enduring powers of flight. But 

 one genus is comprised in this sub-family. 



DIOMEDEA, Linnaeus. 



Diomedea, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1758. Type'D. exulans, L. 



Ch. — Bill rather longer than the head, compressed, with the end much curved, and the point acute ; upper mandible deeply 

 grooved on the sides for its entire length ; nostrils near the base of the upper mandible, separate, tubular, and prominent ; 

 wings very long and narrow, the second quill the longest ; tail rather short ; legs strong, the tarsi shorter than the mi ddle toe ; 

 interdigital membrane full ; hind toe wanting ; claws short and obtuse. 



All the species are of large dimensions ; they are most abundant in the Southern and Pacific 

 Oceans, and are particularly numerous in the neighborhood of the Cape of Good Hope and Cape 

 Horn. In the Pacific some species are found in quite high northern latitudes. Their food 

 consists principally of fish, of which they are most voracious eaters. 



' Prepared by Mr. George N. Lawrence, of New York. 



