106. DIOMEDEA CHIONOPTEBA, Sahin. 



(SNOWY-WINGED ALBATROS.) 



(Plate 91.) 



Diomedea exulans (nee Linn.), Coues and Kidder, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 2, p. 19 

 (1875) ; Kidder, op. cit., No. 3, p. 11 (1876) ; Salvin, P. Z. S., 1878, p. 740 ; 

 id., Voy. " Challenger," Zool., II., pt. VIII., p. 147 (1881). 



Diomedea chionoptera, Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXV., p. 443 (1896) ; Hall, 

 Ibis, 1900, p. 12. 



D. regice similis, sed scapularibus omnibus, tectricibus alarum plerisque et regione 

 olecrana, pure albis, regionem alarem longitudinalem niveam formantibus. 



Diomedea chionoptera resembles D. regia, and differs from D. exulans in having the 

 entire mantle and back, the marginal and lesser wing-coverts, as well as the olecranal 

 patch of feathers and most of the inner secondaries, snowy-white, thus forming 

 a broad longitudinal alar area, extending the length of the wing. This feature is 

 admirably shown in a photograph by Mr. Robert Hall, of a specimen of D. chionoptera 

 sitting on its nest on Kerguelen Island (Ibis, 1900, p. 12). 



The geographical distribution of D. regia and D. chionoptera appears to be 

 restricted to certain districts in the southern oceans, whereas D. exulans, the Wandering 

 Albatros, seems to be dispersed over the whole of the seas inhabited by D. regia and 

 D. chionoptera ; thus, while D. regia is an inhabitant of New Zealand and the adjacent 

 islands, D. chionoptera is found only in the South Atlantic. The typical example of 

 D. chionoptera was procured by the " Challenger " Expedition in Kerguelen Island, 

 where the species was found nesting by Dr. Kidder (I.e.) and by Mr. Robert Hall (I.e.). 

 During the Antarctic Expedition it was also observed by Sir J. Hooker, on Kerguelen, 

 and was likewise procured on Marion Island by the "Challenger" Expedition (Salvin, 

 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXV., p. 443). Probably the eggs brought by Captain 

 Armson to Mr. E. L. Layard (Ibis, 1867, p. 460) from the Crozets were those of 

 D. chionoptera. A specimen in the British Museum was procured during the 

 voyage of the " Valhalla " in the South Atlantic Ocean (Lat. 34° S., Long. 



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