38. PUFFINUS NEWELLI, Henshaw. 



(ULANI SHEARWATER.) 



Puffinus newelli, Henshaw, Auk, XVII., p. 246 (1900) : Rothsch., Extinct Birds, p. xii. 

 (1907). 



P. auriculari similis, sed linea colli lateralis, superne nigra, inferne alba, absolute 

 definita, et subcaudalibus centralibus albis distinguendus. 



This species was described by Mr. H. W. Henshaw from a specimen obtained by Mr. M. 

 Newell of Hilo (Brother Mathias of the Catholic Brotherhood), in Waihee Valley, on 

 the island of Ulani, in the spring of 1894. It was taken from its burrow by the natives, 

 along with several others, and two specimens were preserved. The type was given to 

 Mr. Henshaw ; the other he believes to be still extant in Honolulu. 



The following is the original description (I.e.) : — " Above, including upper 

 surface of wings and tail, clear and somewhat glossy black ; border of under wing- 

 coverts black ; beneath, including under tail-coverts, pure white ; maxilla and edge 

 and tip of mandible black ; rest of mandible light brown ; tarsus and feet light 

 yellow, but black along the outer posterior side of tarsus, the outer toe, and half the 

 middle toe. Wing, 8.65 inches ; tail, 3.75 ; bill, 1.28 ; tarsus, 1.80." 



Mr. Henshaw states that in the year 1894 the species was numerous in the 

 island of Ulani, one of the Hawaiian group, but its present status is doubtful, for 

 the Mongoose, which is rapidly exterminating the native Shearwaters upon the 

 islands, is an inhabitant also of Ulani. P. newelli is included by the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild, in his recent work, as a species on the verge of extinction (Extinct Birds, 

 1907, p. xii). 



Mr. Ridgway examined the type-specimen, and considered it to be undoubtedly a 

 new species. He observes : — " It comes nearest to P. auricularis, Townsend, of 

 Clarion Island (Revillagigedo Group, north-west Mexico), but differs in the blacker 

 colour of the upper-parts, the wholly white malar region, the more extensive, more 

 uniform, and more abruptly white anterior and central under tail-coverts, more 

 extensive and ' solid ' blackish border to the under wing-covert region, and especially 

 in the very abrupt line of demarcation along the sides of the neck, between the black 



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