DIOMEDEA REGIA. 



assumes its first full plumage, remains of the white down are often seen adhering to 

 the ends of the feathers. 



Young birds before leaving the nest are fully equal in size to the adult, and the 

 length of time they remain in or about it, is proved by the Campbell Island 

 specimen, which has the down of the under-surface matted together like the wool 

 on a sheep's belly. Although on reaching full plumage, the young are very similar 

 to the adult, and have the white head and back, they may be distinguished by the 

 broad longitudinal black centres to the feathers of the mantle, and there are also 

 some broad black bands on the lower rump. It must be here stated that no marks 

 of this kind occur in the plumage of D. exulans. 



Adult. General colour above pure white, with scarcely a trace of dusky 

 vermiculations on the mantle ; the scapulars with slaty-grey, or blackish cross-bars, 

 or zigzag markings, the longer scapulars blackish towards the end. Wings slaty- 

 black, the lesser series of coverts mottled with white, the feathers having white bases 

 or white margins ; the innermost median and greater coverts white with grey 

 frecklings ; parapteral feathers for the most part, and some of the outer ones, white, 

 blackish at the ends, and resembling the innermost secondaries, the whole forming 

 a large white patch ; quills blackish, the secondaries with the inner web white ; 

 lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers white, head and neck all 

 round, and entire under-surface of the body pure white, including the under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries, the bend of the wing being mottled with a few black patches ; 

 quills blackish below ; secondaries mostly white on the inner web ; " bill white, with 

 a roseate or pinky tinge in life, yellowish horn-colour on the terminal hook, with a 

 broad black line along the cutting edge of the upper mandible ; legs and feet fleshy 

 white ; iris very dark brown, almost black ; bare eyelids jet-black " (W. L. Buller). 

 Total length, 44 inches ; culmen, 7.5 ; wing, 26.5 ; tail, 8.2 ; tarsus, 4.5 ; middle 

 toe and claw, 7.1. 



The description and adult figure in the Plate are taken from one of the specimens 

 procured by Dr. McCormick on Enderby Island, during Sir James Clark Ross' voyage. 

 The artist has somewhat exaggerated the cross-barring on the scapulars, which is 

 not so closely developed as it is there represented. 



The description of the nestling and young bird are from the Campbell Island 

 examples in the British Museum. 



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