786 



8YSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — L ONGIPENNES — TUBINABES 



834. P. anglo'rum. (Lat. Anglorvm, of the English.) Mans Shearwater. Smaller and other- 

 wise very diflferent from any of the foregoing. Upper parts uniform lustrous black, or blackish 

 with slight brown shade, rather ashy across hind neck; the dark color extending on sides of 

 head much below eyes, but there marbled with white ; under eyelid white, set in black. On 

 sides of neck the white reaches part way around ; on sides of breast the dark extends some 

 distance, dilute and marbled with white. Primaries black, with black shafts, their inner webs 

 dull grayish-brown ; tail-feathers like primaries. Entire under parts, from chin to anus, pure 

 white, except a few feathers of the flanks, and the outer webs of the outer under tail-coverts, 

 which are plumbeous-black. Lining of wings and axillars white, mottled with black just 

 along the edge. Length about 13.50; extent 30.00; wing 9.35; tail 4.00, graduated 0.75 ; 

 tarsus 1.80 ; middle toe and claw 1.90 ; outer do. 2.00 ; inner do. 1.55 ; chord of culmen 1.40 ; 

 gape 2.10 ; height or width of bill at base 0.45. Varies much, but the small size and black- 

 ishness are distinctive. This species chiefly inhabits the Atlantic coast of Europe, and the 

 Mediterranean ; it is the commonest British species of the genus, said to range the N. Atlantic 

 at large, and to occur on our coast ; but those who suppose it to be one of our common species 

 are apparently mistaken. Nest in bun-ows in the ground, dug by the birds ; egg single, dead 

 white, smooth, 2.35 X 1.60. 



835. P. obscu'rus. (Lat. dbscu/rus, dusky.) Dusky Shearwater. Bill small and weak, 

 about f as long as head, f as long as tarsus ; stout only at base, where higher than wide ; 

 hook rising abruptly from line of culmen ; commissure lower, and outline of biU almost 

 straight from feathers to hook. Wings folding to end of tail, which is comparatively long, 



and much graduated. Tar- 

 sus as long as middle toe 

 without claw ; outer toe 

 and claw equal to middle 

 toe and claw ; tip of inner 

 claw reaching base of mid- 

 dle. Blackish of upper 

 parts with much grayish 

 or plumbeous cast, with 

 lighter borders of the feath- 

 ers, especially on the scap- 

 ulars and tertials ; darkest 

 on rump and upper tail-coverts ; on sides of head not extending below eyes, and even there 

 marbled with whitish ; both eyelids white, and there is indication of a light supercibary stripe. 

 Quills and tail -feathers as in P. anglorum. Under parts from chin to vent, white, as are lining 

 of wings and axillars, only a few plumbeous black feathers on flanks. The longest and outer- 

 most under tail-coverts are black, the rest white, pure or with a plumbeous shade. Bill dull 

 leaden-blue, blackening at tip ; iris bluish-black ; edges of eyelids bluish ; outside of tarsus and 

 outer toe bluish-black, inside and webs of all yellowish flesh-color. Small : length 11.00- 

 12.00; extent 26.00; wing 7.50-8.00 ; tail 4.25, graduated nearly 1.00; tarsus 1.60; middle 

 toe and claw 1.80 ; chord of culmen 1.25 ; gape 1.70 ^' nasal case to tip 0.90; depth of bill at 

 base 0.40 ; viddth 0.35. A small bicolor species, readily distinguished from any of the foregoing. 

 S. Atlantic and Gulf coast, common, straying N. to the Middle States. (P. obscmus Gni. ? 

 P. auduboni Finsch.) 



836. P. oplstho'melas. (Gr. omcrde, opisthe, backward ; /icXas, melas, black. Fig. 527.) Black- 

 vented Shearwater. Resembling the last, and little larger. Bill about | as long as tarsus. 

 Tail relatively shorter, less graduated. Tarsus as long as middle toe and half its claw. Frontal 

 feathers extending in a point on culmen. Dark color of upper parts extending farther on sides 

 of head than in obscurus, leaving no white about eye. Under tail-coverts entirely sooty- 



■ Fig. 527. — Black-vented Shearwater, nat. size. (From Elliot.) 



