396 



This Petrel has been found to inhabit the seas about Madeira, where it was mistaken for 

 0. leucorrhoa. Messrs. Baring and Ogilvie Grant found it breeding quite common on the 

 Salvages ; and Padre Schmitz, of Funchal, obtained its eggs on Porto Santo and the Desertas. 

 Respecting its occurrence on the Salvages, Mr. Ogilvie Grant writes (Ibis, 1896, p. 53) as 

 follows: — "Almost more interesting than the white-breasted species was the square-tailed 

 white-rumped Petrel, of which we obtained but a single example, caught at night by our men 

 on Great Salvage, though we saw several flying over the neighbouring seas from the deck of our 

 steam-tug. This bird had not yet come to shore to breed, and the only egg we obtained was taken 

 on Lime Island, Porto Santo, in the month of June. It had always been previously supposed 

 that the only small white-rumped Petrel with black webs to the feet met with in these seas 

 was Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel (0. leucorrhoa). That this bird also occurs there is certain, for 

 we have seen a specimen obtained at the Canaries by Mr. Meade- Waldo, but it would appear to 

 be merely a straggler so far south, and certainly the square-tailed species is the bird that has 



generally been mistaken for it According to our Lanzarote pilot, this species breeds 



commonly on the Little Piton, and it was with great regret that we had to leave the Salvages 

 without visiting this little island. In propitious weather it is just possible to effect a landing 

 on its dangerous rocks, and it was only the fear of missing our steamer at Las Palmas that 

 prevented our making the attempt, for on our second visit to the Great Piton our pilot told us 

 the sea and wind were fairly favourable." 



I am indebted to Padre Schmitz for several eggs of this species taken on Porto Santo in 

 June, some of which are pure white, and others with a faint wreath of small red spots round the 

 larger end. In size they vary from 1T8 by 0"95 inch to Loo by 1*02 inch. 



The specimens figured and described are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, <$ ad. Porto Santo, June 12th, 1895 ; b, $ ad. Ilkeo-chao, June 20th, 1895 ; c, pull. Desertas, September 

 20th, 1895 (E. Schmitz). 



