66 PROCELLARIIFORMES 



CHAP. 



than Ossifraga, yet equal to a medium -sized Gull, though 

 easily distinguished by its light gliding flight with little motion 

 of the wings ; in rough weather it skims very near the waves, 

 while the croaking note is seldom heard. Daption capensis, the 

 " Cape-Pigeon," ranging from Ceylon and Peru throughout the 

 southern oceans, is black and white above and nearly white 

 below; it is well known as a constant companion of ships, especially 

 off South Africa, hovering or swimming around, uttering its harsh 

 cackle, or plunging into the water to fight for scraps thrown over- 

 board. Hcdohaena caertt/ea, extending from lat. 40° to 60° S., is 

 grey -blue above and white below, with a little white on the head, 

 scapulars, and tail ; the habits resemble those of Prion, a genus 

 of four species, remarkable for the fringe of lamellae on the bill, 

 and having blue-grey upper parts varied with black, white under 

 parts and superciliary streak. These forms are found throughout 

 the southern seas, while P. arid has occurred in Madeira. P. 

 desolatus, the Whale-bixd of sailors, is frequently seen flitting 

 round vessels, uttering its whistling or cooing note, or taking 

 food from the water upon the wing ; the slight nest is formed in 

 an extremely small burrow. 



Little object would be served by describing in detail the 

 twenty members of Puffi,nus (Shearwater) or the thirty of 

 Oestrelata, the main constituents of our second group of Pro- 

 cellariinae. The former are sooty-brown or greyish, commonly 

 with white below, and in some cases with white or pale edges 

 to the feathers above ; all are much alike except the uniform 

 species, but it should be carefully noted that Petrels are often 

 best distinguished by the colour of the bill and feet. The 

 habits of these birds, which are distributed throughout the 

 greater part of the world, have been already sufficiently treated. 

 P. anglorum, the " Manx " Shearwater, breeds along the west of 

 Great Britain, in the Orkneys, Shetlands, and Ireland, P. major 

 or gravis, P. griseus, P. olsciorus, P. assimilis, and P. yelkouanus, the 

 " ame damnee " of the Bosphorus, being occasional visitors to our 

 shores. In Oestrelata the coloration is grey, brown, or blackish, 

 with a decided tendency to lighter margins on the upper feathers, 

 and in a few of the members more or less white on* the tail, 

 wing, or head ; the under parts, moreover, being frequently white. 

 The various forms reach from the southern temperate regions to 

 Japan and also to Britain, where Oe. haesitata and Oe. hrevipes 



