23. CYMODROMA GRALLABXA (Vieill). 



(WHITE-BREASTED STORM-PETREL.) 



(Plate 18.) 



Procellaria grallaria, Vieill., N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., XXV., p. 418 (1817). 



Oceanites grallaria, Keys and Bias., Wirb. Eur., p. 93 (1840). 



Procellaria fregatta (nee Linn.), Kuhl, Monogr. Procell., p. 138, PI. 10, Fig. 3 (1820 ; ex 



Banks, Icon. Ined., PI. 14.) 

 Procellaria fregata, Forst., Descr. Anim., p. 180 (1844). 

 Thalassidroma leucogaster, Gould, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., XIII., p. 367 (1844) ; id., 



Birds Aust., folio, VIL, PI. 63 (1847). 

 Thassidroma fregetta (nee Linn.), Gray, List Anseres, Brit. Mus., p. 161 (1844). 

 Fregetta grallaria, Bp., Consp. Av., II., p. 197 (1856). 

 Thalassidroma segethi, Philippi and Landb., Arch. Nat., 1860, p. 282. 

 Oceanites segethi, Coues, Pr. Acad. Philad., 1864, p. 84. 

 Fregetta grallaria, Ridgway, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus., III., p. 210 (1880). 

 Oceanitis leucogaster, Sharpe, ed. Layard's Birds S. Afr., p. 764 (1884). 

 Cymodroma grallaria, Ridgway, in Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Water Birds N. Amer., 



II., p. 419 (1884); Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXV, p. 366 (1896): Sharpe, 



Hist. Coll. Brit. Mus., Aves, p. 175, 1907. 



C. melanogastri similis, sed abdomine omnino albo, minime medialiter nigro, et notsei 

 plumis griseo-albo marginatis, distinguenda. 



This species is very closely allied to G. melanogaster, but has always a white belly 

 and white margins to the feathers of the back. As the young of C. melanogaster also 

 show white fringes to the dorsal feathers, Dr. Bowdler Sharpe has suggested that 

 C. grallaria might be the young of G. melanogaster, before the black appears on the centre 

 of the breast and abdomen. Salvin, however, did not endorse this view. 



According to the evidence at present before me, I am inclined to agree with Salvin 

 in separating the two species, for C. grallaria never shows any black on the abdomen, 

 and all the white-banded specimens in the British Museum have the appearance of being 

 adult birds. It seems, therefore, that the white edges to the dorsal feathers are a 



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