BIRDS — PROCELLAEINAE — ^PEOOELLARIA GLACIALIS. 



825 



Ossifragus, Homb. & Jacq. 

 PEOOELLAKIA GIGANTEA, Gmelin. 



The Gigantic Fnlmar. 



Procellaria gigantea, Gm. Syst. Nat. 1, 1788, 563.— AnD. Orn. Biog. V, 1849, 330.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 202.— 



NuTT. Man. II, 1835, 329. 

 Ossifraga gigantea, Reich. — Bon. Cons. Avium, II, 1855, 186. 

 " Pracellaria ossifraga, Forst." 

 Sp. Ch. — tipper plumage pale brown mottled with dusky white ; wing coverts, quill feathers and tail, plain dusky brown ; 

 fore part of the neck, breast and belly, white ; bill deep yellow ; legs and feet dusky yellow. 



The above is the adult plumage ; the specimen procured by Dr. Townsend off the mouth of Columbia river, formerly 

 belonging to Mr. Audubon, now in the cabinet of Prof. Baird, is of a pretty uniform dusky brown, lighter on the under plumage ; 

 bill yellow ; legs and feet yellowish. 



The dimensions of this specimen are as follows : length, 36 inches ; wing, 20 ; bill, 4 ; length of nasal case, 1^§ ; tarsus, 3} ; 

 outer toe and claw, 5;. 

 Hub. — Pacific ocean, off Columbia river. 



This is tlie largest species of tlie true petrels ; it measures seven feet in alar extent. They 

 frequent the northwest coast only in spring and summer. 



List of specimens. 



Fulmarus, Leach. 

 PKOCELLAEIA GLACIALIS, Linnaeus. 



The Fulmar Petrel. 



Procellaria glacialis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 213.— Bon. Syn. 1828, No. 310.— Nutt. Man. 11, 1834, 331.— Aud. 



Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 446— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 204 ; pi. cccclv. 

 Fulmarus glacialis, Stephens, Shaw's Zool. — Bon. Cons. Avium, II, 1855, 187. 

 Procellaria glacialis, var. A. audubonii, Bon. Consp. Av. 11, 1855, 187. 

 " Procellaria hiemalis, Brehm." 

 Sp. Ch. — Mult. Back and wings pale grayish blue ; primary quills and their coverts blackish brown ; tail pale bltiish white ; 

 head and neck white ; the throat slightly tinged with yellow ; before the eye and extending a little over it is a small black spot ; 

 under plumage pure white ; bill yellow ; iris yellow ; tarsi and feet pale flesh colored . 

 Length of male, 20 inches ; wing, 13 ; tail, 4| ; bill, lig ; tarsus, 3. 

 Female similar to the male and differing but little in size, being rather smaller. 

 Hai. — ^Northern Atlantic. 



In form this species is rather robust; the wings long and pointed ; tail short and rounded, of 

 fourteen feathers ; bill short and very strong, the unguis much decurved and very acute ; the 

 upper outline of the nasal tubes is concave, with the ridge flattened. 

 Augustas, 1S58. 



104 b 



