THE GREAT GREY SHEARWATER. 81 
Zealand and the neighbouring islands. We found it to be excellent eating, though 
we had Anas superciliosa on the table at the same time with which to compare it. 
We also fully appreciated Megalestris antarctica and Phalacrocorax colensoi, neither 
of which was much inferior to the Grey Duck above mentioned, although that bird is 
most highly esteemed in New Zealand and Australia for the table. 
PRIOFINUS CINEREUS. 
The Great Grey Shearwater. 
Procellaria cinerea, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. (1788), p. 563. 
Priofinus cinereus, Gig]. Faun. Vert. Oceano, 1870, p. 34; Sharpe, Rep. ‘South. Cross’ Coll. (1902), p. 142, 
sbique citata. 
MATERIAL IN THE ‘ DiscovERY’s’ COLLECTION. 
No. 127, adult skin, ¢. Nov. 2,1901. 46° 51'S. 89° 28’ E. 
Colouring of the soft parts :— 
Upper bill, dark greyish horn, the latericorn pale and yellowish, and in some birds even 
bright yellow. 
Mandible, greyish horn at the tip, but otherwise pale yellow, both on the cutting edge 
and on the sides, a darker line dividing these parts. 
Tris, dark brown. 
Legs and toes, grey or flesh grey. 
Webs, flesh pink or even red by transmitted light. but otherwise grey, or flesh grey. 
Claws, blackish horn. 
The inside of the mouth is flesh red, the palate, fauces and tongue abundantly supplied 
with sharp horny papille. 
Priofinus cinereus, the Great Grey Shearwater, is a very characteristic bird of the 
Southern oceans, considerably larger than the Cape pigeon, grey or bluish grey all over 
the upper parts, and white beneath; it may be seen occasionally in the ship’s wake 
without drawing the attention of the casual observer. But one morning he will go on 
deck to find the ship followed by the bird, perhaps in hundreds. Very hungry or very 
greedy, they then afford much amusement as they drop suddenly beneath the surface of 
the water with their wings spread to seize some scrap of food. They unhesitatingly go 
completely under and reappear again with their wings still spread. We were visited 
by such a flock on November 1, 1901, in the Southern Indian Ocean. Having 
first seen it on September 25th, 1901, we had never had more than two or 
three with us until this flock arrived. Many of them were evidently moulting, as 
several of the smaller primaries were missing on either side. This exposed the paler 
part of the primaries still present, and gave the appearance of a white patch and a piece 
cut out from the centre of the wing. They may be caught and landed with stout thread 
entanglements, but ordinary thread should not be used, as it is apt to entangle the bird 
and break, leaving it disabled in the water. This large flock remained with us for 
