MONOGRAPH OF THE PETRELS. 



The authors do not state whether they compared the type of (E. magentce with a 

 specimen of <E. rostrata of Peale. (E. magentce is described as " intense fusco-nigra," 

 and Peale's species is said by him to be " capite, collo, corporeque supra fuliginosis," 

 which is scarcely intended to be " sepia-brown," as the birds appear now in the Plates 

 of Peale's original work of 1848, and Cassin's reproduction of the same in 1858. In 

 both these editions the figures of (E. rostrata and (E. parvirostris have faded to a 

 sepia-brown colour, but in recent specimens of the latter species, the upper-surface 

 is nearly black, and doubtless the same would be the case with CE. rostrata. 



Salvin, when figuring the type in the " Ornithological Miscellany," considered 

 it nearly related to (E. mollis, and wrote : — " Beside the dimensions, are to be noticed 

 the dark under-surface of the wings and the uniform dark colour of the primaries below. 

 The light lateral margin to the frontal feathers forms, too, the superciliary mark." This 

 is not well illustrated in Salvin' s Plate in the " Miscellany," nor in that accom- 

 panying the present " Monograph," drawn by Keulemans at the same time, and from 

 the same specimen. 



Professor Giglioli records the species on three separate occasions in the Pacific 

 Ocean, during the voyage of the " Magenta," firstly, on July 22nd, 1867, in Lat. 39° 

 38' S., Long. 125° 58' W. ; and again on the 2nd and 3rd of August in Lat. 32° 23' S., 

 Long. 92° 39' W. ; it was last seen on the 31st of the same month in Lat. 26° 07' S., Long. 

 88° 50' W. It was always a rare bird, solitary in its habits, and having a more rapid 

 flight than any of its congeners (Faun. Vertebr. Oceano, p. 41). 



The following is a translation of the original description : — 



Above intense dusky-black, the feathers under certain lights with paler margins ; 

 the wings, tail, sides of body, under wing-coverts, and a jugular band, dusky-black ; 

 the region in front of the eye deeper in tint ; forehead pervaded with a silky white 

 colour, almost silvery, more conspicuous laterally ; throat, breast, and abdomen 

 white ; lateral under tail-coverts tinged with ashy, the shafts dusky at the tip ; bill 

 black ; feet flesh-colour ; toes and webs black, except the basal part, which is of the 

 same colour as the tarsus ; iris brown (Giglioli and Salvadori, I.e.). 



Salvin gives the following measurements : — Total length about 14 inches ; bill 

 from front, 1.25 ; from gape, 1.85 ; wing, 12.0 ; tail, 5.0 ; tarsus, 1.6 ; middle toe 

 and claw, 2.2. 



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