11. OCEANODROMA MELANIA {Bp.) 



(BLACK FORK-TAILED PETREL.) 



(Plate 6.) 



Procellaria melania, Bp., C. R., XXXVIII., p. 662 (1854). 



Thalassidroma melania, Bp., Consp. Av., II., p. 196 (1856). 



Cymochorea melania, Coues, Pr. Acad. Philad., 1864, p. 76 ; Baird, Brewer, and 



Ridgw., Water Birds N. Amer., II., p. 411 (1884). 

 Cymochorea melama, Nelson, Cruise " Corwin," p. 113 (1883). 

 Oceanodroma melania, Cooper, Auk, 1887, p. 87 ; Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXV., 



p. 353 (1896) ; Oates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus., I., p. 149, PI. XL, Fig. 3 (1901) ; 



Grinnell and Daggett, Auk, 1903, p. 10 ; Godman, Biol. Centr.-Amer., 



Aves, III., p. 430 (1904). 

 Oceanodroma townsendi, Ridgway, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVI., p. 687 (1893). 



Major : fuliginoso-nigra, vix schistaceo adumbrata : supracaudalibus dorso con- 

 coloribus, minime albis : tectricibus alarum medianis et majoribus pallidioribus 

 brunnescentibus, augustissime albido marginatis. 



This species was first described by Bonaparte from a single specimen obtained 

 by Delattre on his voyage from Nicaragua to California, but the exact locality was not 

 recorded. The typical example is in the Paris Museum, and was re-described by Salvin 

 hi the " Catalogue of Birds." He gives the measurements as follows : — Total length 

 (skin) about 10 inches ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 4.45 ; forked for 1.60 ; culmen, 0.70 ; depth 

 of bill just before nasal tubes, 0.25 ; tarsus, 1.1 ; middle toe, 1.1 {I.e., p. 353). 



In 1864 Coues identified a specimen from Cape St. Lucas, collected by Xantus as 

 being Bonaparte's 0. melania, and in this he was undoubtedly right. Since that time 

 many examples have been obtained, and the species is now sufficiently well known. 



This is one of the largest of the Fork-tailed Petrels, and is nearly uniform 

 black in colour, with the exception of the usual light wing-patch which is characteristic 

 of the species of Oceanodroma. It is distinguished from 0. tristrami and 0. markhami 



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