52 NESTa AND ECK}8 OF 



latter group ; liere they breed in March, depositing the single white egg in holes In 

 rocks. A nest is made consisting of a few dry twigs. Both sexes inculaate and when' 

 caught on the nest the birds do not offer any resistance. The egg of this species is of 

 a clear chalky white color, oval in shape and measures from 1.90 to 2.32 long by 1.30 

 to 1.45 broad. ' 



93. BLACK- VENTED SHEARWATER. Pufflnus gavia (Forst.) Geog. Dist.— 



Pacific Ocean, chiefly southward. , 



This species is supposed to occur along the whole Pacific coast as far north at 

 least as Oregon. Little seems to be known regarding its general habits; the eggs are 

 said to resemble those of other members of this family. 



94. SOOTY SHEARWATER. Pufflnus stricklandi Ridgw. Geog. Dist.— 

 North Atlantic, on the American coast south to the Carollnas. 



Here is a Petrel that escaped the observations of the earlier ornithologists, Wil- ' 

 son, Audubon and Nuttall. Recent explorers, however, have discovered that it is 

 a common bird off our Atlantic coast, and that far north it breeds in immense 

 colonies on the islands of the Sea. It burrows in the ground to the extent of several 

 feet and deposits a single white egg. The average size of the egg is 2.58x1.78. 



95. BARK-BODIED SHEARWATER. Pufflnus griseus (Gmel.) Geog. Dist.— 

 South Pacific, north to Lower California. 



The Dark-bodied Shearwater is known to breed on Cornwallis and Chatham 

 Islands, east of New Zealand, in the South Pacific Ocean, and also on other islands 

 lying farther south. The bird burrows in the peaty ground a horizontal hole three 

 or four feet deep and turning slightly to the right or left. At the end of this burrow 

 a rude nest is formed of twigs and dry leaves, where one white egg is laid; size 2.25 

 xl.45. It is stated that the old birds of this species roost along the shores of the 

 islands during the night and the noise they make is said to be "something absolutely 

 frightful." 



96. SLENDER-BILLED SHEARWATER. Pufflnus temirostris (Temm.) 

 Geog. Dist. — North Pacific; from Sitka to Kotzebue Sound on the American coast. 



According to Dr. Stejneger the Slender-billed Shearwater is rather scarce on the 

 Commander Islands, but he says: "I feel convinced that a few breed there." I saw 

 a flock on the 22d of August, 1882, at the entrance of Lissonkovaja Buchta, southern 

 part of Bering Island, leaving the whale carcass, upon which they were sitting at 

 our approach." A specimen was obtained on Copper Island In June, 1883. A skin 

 of this Shearwater was secured by Mr. JDall from an Eskimo. The bird was killed 

 in Kotzebue Sound, thus extending the range of the species through Bering Strait 

 10 the Arctic Circle. The eggs are at the present time unknown. 



97. BLACK-TAILED SHEARWATER. Pufflnus clnereus (Gmel.) Geog. 

 Dist. — South Pacific; accidental off the coast of Galifarnla. 



This peculiar species, approaching the fulmars in many characters, Is acci- 

 dental off the coast of California. Its home Is on the. islands of the South Pacifl'c. 

 Nothing is known of its eggs. 



* * CIWEREOTTS SHEARWATER. Pvfflnu$ .kiihlii (Bpie.). Geog. Dist.— East- 

 ern Atlantic. 



