PRION BANKSI. 



Mus., II., p. 48, 1899), but it was not observed in this locality by the naturalists of the 

 " Southern Cross." Dr. Davidson, of the relief ship " Morning," obtained an example in 

 Lat. 67° S., Long. 179° E., on November 25th, and Dr. Wilson says that the birds were 

 numerous in December between New Zealand and the ice of Ross's Sea, but they were 

 not seen after the " Discovery " had entered the Ice Pack. Other localities mentioned 

 are Kaiser Wilhelm II. Land (Vanhoffen), just without the Antarctic Circle, on March 

 18th, 1903, and between it and Kerguelen Island ; South Georgia, November to 

 March (Swedish Expedition) ; South Orkneys (Bruce) : no nests were found there, 

 but it is probable that P. banksi breeds in these islands. The species was also 

 captured in the Weddell Sea on February 25th and 26th, 1904 (Eagle Clarke, Ibis, 

 1907, p. 342), and in the Ice Pack, Lat. 59° 42' S., Long. 34° 14' W., on February 9th, 

 1903 ; these were the only examples procured by the Scottish Antarctic Expedition 

 on their first voyage, though more were obtained on the second. 



Nothing of any moment appears to have been published respecting the habits 

 of Prion banksi, they are doubtless similar to those of the other species of Prion. At 

 sea they assemble in large flocks, in which Professor Giglioli says there are sometimes 

 found examples of Prion desolatus and P. ariel. 



Adult male. Very similar to P. vittatus, but with a smaller bill, as before 

 mentioned. Ashy-blue above and pure white below ; head and nape a little darker 

 and more dusky than the back ; marginal wing-coverts ashy-black ; longer scapulars 

 black towards the ends, and margined with pearly-grey ; bastard-wing, primary- 

 coverts and outer primaries black, the inner webs of the latter hoary-white, becoming 

 grey towards their ends, which are black ; inner primaries and secondaries pearly-grey, 

 with white margins ; lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers ashy-blue, 

 the centre feathers with broad black ends, the outer ones narrowly tipped with white ; 

 lores and sides of face pure white ; over the eye a slight indication of a white stripe ; in 

 front of the eye a black spot ; feathers below the eye and ear-coverts dark slaty-grey ; 

 under-surf ace of body, under wing-coverts, axillaries, and quill-linings pure white. Total 

 length, 10.0 inches ; culmen, 1.1 ; width of bill, 0.6 ; wing, 7.8 ; tail, 3.6 ; tarsus, 1.2 ; 

 middle toe and claw, 1.55. 



Professor Giglioli gives the colour of the bill and feet as follows : — " Bill tur- 

 quoisine lead-colour, with the margins and tip whitish ; tarsi and toes clear turquoise- 

 blue, with the interdigital membrane yellowish- white ; iris brown." Mr. Shortridge 

 states that the bill is " blue and slate-colour," the legs " slaty-blue," the iris black. The 

 naturalists of the Scottish Antarctic Expedition record the colour of the bill and feet 

 as bluish-grey, and the iris as brown. 



The male described was procured by Nikolai Hanson in Lat. 42° 23' S., 

 Long. 20° 32' E., during the " Southern Cross " Expedition. The specimen 

 figured is probably one from our _ collection, but I cannot identify the bird 

 selected. 



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