MONOGRAPH OF THE PETRELS. 



distinct on such a trifling difference in the length of wing above recorded, and I should 

 not be surprised if they are ultimately found to be identical. 



Peale discovered (E. parvirostris on Puka Puka, i.e., Honden, or Dog Island, 

 in the Low or Paumotu Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean, and it was also met with 

 on Christmas Island by Mr. Streets (Bull. U. 8. Nat. Mus., 1877, No. 7, p. 30), who 

 found it breeding there in January. The nests are placed on the ground under low 

 bushes, being merely a hole scooped out for the egg, which is large, rotund-elliptical, 

 with a smooth, white, and translucent shell. The birds are such close sitters that 

 nothing will induce them to leave their eggs, and if removed from their nests they 

 instantly returned to their duty (Streets, I.e.). 



Adult male. General colour above black, with concealed greyish-white bases to 

 the feathers ; wings and tail black, like the back ; crown of head, sides of face, throat 

 and fore-neck, black ; base of the feathers of the throat white, affording a mottled 

 appearance ; remainder of under-surface of body pure white, the sides of the breast 

 and flanks black ; thighs and under tail-coverts white, some of the outer coverts 

 mottled with dark slaty-grey on the outer webs ; under wing-coverts and axillaries 

 blackish, as also the under aspect of the quills, the inner webs being slightly more ashy, 

 with white at the base, the primaries also edged with white along the inner web ; 

 " bill black ; feet white, with black webs ; iris brown " (J. J. Lister). Total length 

 about 12.5 inches; culmen, 1.15; wing, 10.4; tail, 4.1; tarsus, 1.3 ; middle toe 

 and claw, 1.7. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour. Total length about 12.5 inches ; 

 culmen, 1.1 ; wing, 10.9 ; tail, 4.35 ; tarsus, 1.3 ; middle toe and claw, 1.8. 



The descriptions of the male and female have been taken from a pair of birds 

 obtained by Mr. J. J. Lister on Canton Island. It was probably from one of these 

 individuals that Salvin had the Plate prepared. 



It should be noticed that, in the male from the Phoenix Islands, numerous white 

 filoplumes are visible on the nape, hind-neck, and sides of neck. 



194 



