198 



BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS. 



-4-DlOMEDEA NIGRIPES, Aud. 



(not figured.) 



For a specimen of this Albatross, I am indebted to Mr. Townsend, who 

 procured it on the 25th December, 1834, on the Pacific Ocean, in lat. 30°, 

 44', N. long. 146°. It is clearly distinct from the other two described in 

 this work, namely the Dusky and the Yellow-nosed; but I have received no 

 information respecting its habits. Not finding any of the meagre notices or 

 descriptions to which I can refer to agree with this bird, I have taken the 

 liberty of giving it a name, being well assured that, should it prove to have 

 been described, some person will kindly correct my mistake. 



Black-footed Albatross, Diomedea nigi^ipes, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 327. 



Length, 36; wings, 21; bill, 5; tail, 3. 



Pacific Ocean, off California. 



Male. 



Bill longer than the head, nearly straight, stout, compressed. Upper man- 

 dible with its dorsal outline straight and declinate until near the middle, 

 when it becomes a little concave, and along the unguis curves in the third of 

 a circle, the ridge convex, very broad and convex at the base, with its basal 

 margin curved in the third of a circle, the ridge separated in its whole length 

 by a groove, margined below by a prominent line, from the sides, which are 

 prominently convex, the edges sharp, the unguis decurved, strong, acute, 

 with the sides a little convex. Nostrils sub-basal, prominent, tubular, having 

 a horny sheath. Lower mandible with the angle narrow, reaching to the 

 tip, and having at its extremity a slender horny interposed process; the out- 

 line of the crura gently ascending, slightly convex, toward the end a little 

 concave, at the tip deflected, the sides ascending and considerably convex, 

 but at the base concave, the edges sharp and inflexed, the tip compressed, its 

 upper edges decurved. 



Head rather large, ovate, anteriorly compressed; neck of moderate length; 

 body full. Feet rather short, stoutish; tibia bare for an inch and ten- 

 twelfths, reticulated all round with very small convex scales; tarsus rather 

 slender, covered all round with small roundish convex scales; toes three, 



