DUSKY ALBATROSS. 201 



rather small, slender, slightly arched, rather depressed, convex above, some- 

 what obtuse. 



Plumage full, soft, and blended. Wings very long and very narrow, the 

 humerus and cubitus being extremely elongated; the first primary longest, 

 the rest very rapidly diminishing; secondaries extremely short. Tail of 

 moderate length, cuneate, of twelve strong feathers, of which the outer are 

 rounded, the inner gradually more acute, the middle feather exceeding the 

 lateral by two inches and three-fourths. 



Bill black; feet yellow, claws greyish-white. The head and upper part of 

 the neck are greyish-black, tinged with brown; the rest of the neck, all the 

 lower parts, the back and rump are light brownish-grey; the scapulars darker, 

 the wings coloured like the head; the primary quills and tail-feathers grey- 

 ish-black, with white shafts. The eyelids are narrowly margined with 

 white feathers, their anterior part excepted. 



Length to end of tail 34 inches; bill along the ridge 4|§, along the edge 

 of lower mandible 3 T 5 2-; wing from flexure 21; tail 11; bare part of tibia 1; 

 tarsus Syj; inner toe 3f|, its claw -ff; middle toe 4f|, its claw T 9 5 ; outer toe 

 4f f , its claw T 7 2- 



Genus III.— PROCELLARIA, Linn. FULMAR. 



Bill of about the length of the head, or somewhat shorter, robust, straight, 

 moderately compressed, with the tip decurved; upper mandible with the 

 nostrils dorsal, separated by a thin septum, covered by an elevated horny 

 case, and opening directly forwards, the ridge nearly straight or concave in 

 its outline, laterally sloping or convex, separated by a groove from the sides, 

 which are erect and convex, the edges sharp, inflected, and in their outline 

 slightly recurved from the base to the unguis, which is strong, decurved, and 

 acute; lower mandible with the angle long, narrow, acute, the sides erect, 

 with a groove in their whole length, the edges sharp and direct, the very 

 short dorsal line ascending and slightly concave, the edges decurved at the 

 end. Head rather large, ovate; neck rather short; body full. Feet of 

 moderate length, stout; tibia bare for a short space below; tarsus a little 



Vol. VII. 29 



