44. PUFFINUS ASSIMILIS, Gould. 



(GOULD'S SHEARWATER.) 

 (Plate 35.) 



Puffinus assimilis, Gould, P. Z. S., 1837, p. 156 ; id., Birds Austr., fol. VII., PI. 59 

 (1848) ; Coues, Pr. Acad. Philad., 1866, p. 192 ; Buller, Birds New ZeaL, 

 2nd ed., II., p. 237 (1888) ; id., Suppl., I., p. 100 (1905) ; Wiglesw., Abhandl. 

 K. Zool. Mus. Dresden, VI., 1890-91, No. 6, p. 80 (1891) ; Salvin, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus., XXV, p. 384 (1896). 



Puffinus nugax, Solander, MSS. ; Bp., Consp. Av., II., p. 205 (1856) ; Coues, Pr. 

 Acad. Philad., 1864, pp. 141, 144 ; Gould, Handb. Birds Austr., II., p. 458 

 (1865); Finsch and Hartl., Faun. Central Polyn., pp. 242, 280, Taf. 3, 

 fig. 5 (1867). 



Procellaria nugax, Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, VI., Procell., p. 31 (1863). 



Puffinus obscurus (nee Gm.), Finsch, J. f. O., 1870, p. 370. 



Puffinus sp., Hartl. and Finsch, P. Z. S., 1872, p. 112 ; Finsch, J. Mus. Godeffr., 

 VEIL, p. 45 (1875). 



P. obscuro similis, sed ala subtus albidiore : subalaribus pure albis : remigibus intus 

 quo que pure albis. 



Puffinus assimilis is distinguished from the P. obscurus group of small Shearwaters by its 

 pure white under wing-coverts, quill-lining, and under tail-coverts. It is an inhabitant of 

 the Australian seas, extending to the South Atlantic Ocean. Gould originally described 

 it from New South Wales, but in his " Handbook " mentions that all the specimens he 

 had seen were from Norfolk Island, where it has since been found breeding by Dr. 

 Metcalf (North, Nests and Eggs of Austr. Birds, p. 377, 1889). Mr. Robert Hall 

 found P. assimilis nesting on the Pelsart Group of Houtman's Abrolhos, and procured 

 eggs in July. Sir Walter Buller and Captain Hutton record the bird from the Hauraki 

 Gulf, in New Zealand, but the latter says that south of Auckland it is replaced by P. 

 gavia. Other breeding places are on the Kermadec Islands, where the birds are said 

 to be smaller than those from New Zealand. Dr. Pirie (Eagle Clarke, Ibis, 1905, 

 p. 261) captured two specimens on Gough Island, where it was found nesting by the 



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