Order PROCELLARIIFORMES.] 



[Family PUFFIN I D,E. 



PRION ARIEL. 



(GOULD'S DOVE PETREL. 



Prion ariel, Gould; Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. ii., p. 213. 



As stated in the footnote to my account of this species (vol. ii., p. 213), Dr. Sharpe, in his memoir 

 on the Zoology of Kerguelen Land ('Phil. Trans.,' vol. 168, p. 101), had expressed his opinion that 

 this Prion was nothing but the young of P. desolatus. I ventured to take a different view, my 

 examples, being, as I believed, perfectly mature birds. 



The species has since been accepted by Salvin in the British Museum Catalogue, and is 

 therein thus differentiated : 



Adult— Similar in colour to the other species of Prion but with a paler crown, hardly differing from 

 the tint of the back ; the spot below the eye also paler and less conspicuous ; the terminal dark band of the 

 tail wider ; the bill much narrower and more compressed, though the unguis is as large as those of the other 

 species ; the sides of the mandible are nearly straight, and the lamelke feebly developed and quite invisible 

 when the bill is closed. 



Hab— Madeira (perhaps accidental) and the Southern Seas generally, between lat. 35° and 60° N.— 

 {Salvin, 'Cat. B.,' xxv., p. 435.) 



[In the Southland Museum there are two unmistakable specimens of Prion ariel, the bill being perceptibly 

 smaller than in Prion desolatus.] 



Order PROCELLARIIFORMES.] 



[Family PELECANOIDID^. 



PELECANOIDES UEINATRIX. 



(SMALLEE DIVING PETREL.) 



Haladroma urinatrix (Grmelin), Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. ii., p. 227. 



This is the smallest form of Diving Petrel. It occurs on the coasts of both Islands, and also at 

 the Chatham Islands, and on the Snares, I have a fledgling from the last-named locality, in 

 which the wing, from flexure, measures under four inches. 



Dr. Finsch says (' Ibis,' 1872, p. 248) that Pelecanoides berardi was brought from the 

 Chatham Islands by Mr. Henry Travers. Dr. Coues recognises this species ; but Dr. Sharpe 

 writes : (' Trans. Ven. Eped.,' 1874-5, p. 116) : " My conclusions differ from those of Dr. Coues, 

 insomuch that I consider that P. berardi is nothing but the young of P. urinatrix." Mr. Salvin 

 also considered the two birds identical ; so I have decided to drop P. berardi from my list. 



