PRION VITTATUS. 



A specimen of P. vittatus procured by Macgillivray during the voyage of the 

 " Rattlesnake," at the eastern entrance to Bass's Straits on July 11th, 1847, is in the 

 British Museum, where also there are several examples from New Zealand. Here, accord- 

 ing to Buller, numbers of these birds perish on the shores after a storm, as is the case 

 with P. banlcsi and P. desolatus, but the three forms are seldom found at the same 

 time, from which Buller infers that the flocks are separate. 



Mr. Potts found this species, which he described as Prion australis from Foveaux 

 Straits, breeding on Papatea, or Green Island, and he procured both eggs and young 

 birds (Ibis, 1873, p. 85). 



It nests on the Chatham Islands, whence Mr. H. H. Travers has forwarded eggs, 

 and others have been found there by Dr. H. 0. Forbes (Ibis, 1893, p. 542). 



The broad-billed Prion likewise nests on the Auckland Islands, as the Rothschild 

 Collection contains some downy nestlings from this locality; the species was also 

 obtained on Campbell Island by Dr. Filhol. 



A specimen of P. vittatus was obtained by Dr. E. A. Wilson during the Antarctic 

 voyage of the " Discovery " in Lat. 45° S., Long. 40° 57' E. ; and another 

 example procured in the Pack Ice in Lat. 61° 46', Long. 140° 12' E., also seems to be 

 referable to this species, but the bird obtained by Dr. Davidson of the relief ship 

 " Morning," in Lat. 67° S., Long. 179° E., is in my opinion P. banksi, though it has 

 a bill very like that of P. arid. 



The species probably occurs throughout the South Pacific Ocean, for Professor 

 Giglioli says that on December 6th, 1867, a day after leaving the Straits of Magellan, 

 in Lat. 51° 55', Long. 66° 69' W., several large Prions, with exceedingly broad bills, were 

 seen following the " Magenta " for several hours. The sea was so rough that none could 

 be caught, but no doubt could be entertained as to their identity (Faun. Vertebr. 

 Oceano, p. 44). 



The situation of the nesting place has not been described, but is doubtless like 

 that of the better-known P. desolatus. 



An egg from the Chatham Islands, according to Captain Hutton, is white, and 

 measured 2 by 1.5 inches. Dr. H. 0. Forbes describes it as yellowish- white, of an 

 elongate, ellipsoid shape, and sometimes wider at one end than the other. Dimensions 

 of four specimens : 2.2 by 1.39 inches ; 1.91 by 1.40 ; 1.80 by 1.30 ; 1.88 by 1.40 

 (Ibis, 1893, p. 542). 



All Blue Petrels seem to have very similar habits ; they are seldom seen singly, 

 but more often in small parties, and sometimes in immense numbers, as is proved 

 by the wholesale destruction of these birds after a severe storm. The four 

 forms appear to keep separate, but occasionally they are seen in company, 

 and among the swarms of one species which are washed up ashore, there 

 are generally to be found a few of another species. The Prions are much more 

 gregarious than other Petrels, and the flight of P. vittatus is described by Professor 



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