MONOGRAPH OF THE PETRELS. 



does not altogether agree with the bird, it is now so universally recognised under this 

 name that it is not desirable to change it. 



The synonymy, however, as given by Salvin (I.e.), requires some revision. He omits 

 the earlier references to Latham's " Glacial Petrel " (Procellaria gelida of Gmelin), and, 

 owing to a lapsus calami, repeats some of the references already recorded under the 

 heading of Puffinus huhli (Cat., p. 375). To the latter species belongs the " Puffin 

 cendre " of Brisson's " Ornithologie " (VI., p. 134, PI. XII., Fig. 1). Buffon's " Petrel 

 cendre " is the common Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). D'Aubenton's " Puffin " is 

 Puffinus huhli, as already recorded by Salvin (i.e., p. 375). All the above-mentioned 

 references must be ehminated from the synonymy of Priofinus cinereus. 



Latham's description of his " Cinereous Petrel " in his " General Synopsis " (III., 

 Pt. II., p. 405) is as follows : — " Size of the Fulmar : length, 20J inches. All the upper- 

 parts of the plumage dark ash-colour ; crown of the head and forehead, palest ; beneath, 

 from chin to vent, white ; tail, rounded in shape, black ; the under-part of the feathers, 

 pale ash-colour ; bill yellowish, with black sutures ; legs bluish, webs pale yellow ; toes 

 and claws pale ; irides, ash-colour." 



This description accords best with the species now known as Priofinus cinereus, but 

 is not altogether accurate, as the colour of the head and forehead can scarcely be said to 

 be paler than the back, for they are, in reality, somewhat darker. The colour of the bill 

 and feet are correctly described. 



In the " Supplement " to the " General Synopsis " (II., p. 335, 1802), Latham again 

 describes a " Cinereous Petrel," but I do not consider this to be identical with his 

 " Cinereous Petrel " of 1785. It is said to come from Port Jackson, and to be " wholly 

 dusky-black ; but the sides of the head, the neck, and all beneath are ash-colour ; the 

 bill and legs dull yellow." He further remarks : — " In a specimen of this we observed 

 the whole of the under-parts, from the breast to the vent, occupied by an ash-coloured 

 down." This individual must have been a young bird, and therefore not Priofinus 

 cinereus, which does not breed in Australian waters. 



The original type of Latham's " Cinereous Petrel," though said by him to be in 

 the British Museum, and doubtless one of the Petrels brought back by Captain Cook, 

 is no longer there, but it may well have been the original of Forster's Drawing (No. 92), 

 from which Latham apparently derived the colour of the bill and feet. There is 

 another supposed species, the " Glacial Petrel " of Latham, or Procellaria gelida of 

 Gmelin, which has been separated by such good authorities as Professor Elliot Coues 

 and Professor Robert Ridgway under the name of Priofinus, or Adamastor, gelidus 

 (Gm.). Salvin, however, failed to see any difference between the Pacific and Atlantic 

 specimens of Priofinus, and recognised but a single species, in which conclusion I agree. 



Although it is evident that Salvin intended to unite Priofinus gelidus with P. 

 cinereus, he has accidentally omitted to record the earlier references to the " Glacial 

 Petrel " in his synonymy of P. cinereus in the " Catalogue of Birds." I have not 



156 ~;Q| 



