109. DIOMEDEA NIGRIPES, Audub. 



(BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROS.) 

 (Plates 94, 95.) 



Diomedea nigripes, Audub., Orn. Biogr., V., p. 327 (1839) ; id., Birds Amer., 8vo, 

 VII., p. 198 (1844) ; David and Oust., Ois. Chine, p. 517 (1877) ; Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer., II., p. 355 (1884) ; Seebohm, 

 Birds Japan. Emp., p. 263 (1890) ; Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 

 29, p. 91 (1885) ; Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XXV., p. 445 (1896) ; Bryan, 

 Key to the Birds of the Hawaiian Group, p. 10 (1901). 



Diomedea brachyura (nee Temm.), Gray, Gen. Birds, III., p. 650 (1844) ; Salvin, Voy. 

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



Diomedea chinensis (nee Temm.), Rothschild, Avif. Laysan, p. 55, Pis. 31, 32 (1893). 



Ad. Nigricanti-brunnea ; rostro et pedibus nigris ; uropygio albo, vel fuliginoso- 

 brunneo. Juv. pedibus nigrie. 



The Black-footed Albatros is an inhabitant of the north Pacific Ocean, including 

 the west coast of America to the Bering Sea, but it is not found south of the 

 Equator. The exact range is somewhat difficult to determine, as in ornithological 

 memoirs this bird has often been confused with D. brachyura of Temminck, a name 

 belonging to the young of D. albatrus, which inhabits almost the same area, 

 and in its immature plumage resembles the adult of D. nigripes. The synonymy of 

 the two species is in inextricable confusion, but once seen there should be but little 

 difficulty in extinguishing D. nigripes, which is a smaller bird, with a smaller and 

 darker bill, and also in certain stages of plumage has a white rump : neither does its 

 range extend so far north. 



This species was described by Audubon from a specimen obtained by 

 Mr. Townsend in the Pacific Ocean, Lat. 50° N., on December 25th, 1834. Major 

 Barrett-Hamilton states (Ibis, 1903, p. 321) that he noticed this Albatros nearly every 

 day during his voyage from Unalashka to Port Townsend in October and November, 



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