THE DUSKY SHEARWATER. 217 



I preserved the skins of the four specimens procured. One of them I 

 sent to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, by Captain John 

 R. Butler, of the ship Thalia, then bound from Havana to Minorca. 

 Two others were presented to my excellent friend Dr. Traill, on my first 

 becoming acquainted with him at Liverpool. 



I found, the wings of this species strong and muscular for its size, this 

 structure being essentially requisite for birds that traverse such large expanses 

 of water, and are liable to be overtaken by heavy squalls. The stomach 

 resembles a leather purse, four inches in length, and was much distended 

 with fishes of various kinds, partially digested or entire. The oesophagus is 

 capable of being greatly expanded. Some of the fishes were two and a half 

 inches in length, and one in depth. The flesh of this Petrel was fat, but 

 tough, with a strong smell, and unfit for food; for, on tasting it, as is my 

 practice, I found it to resemble that of the porpoises. No difference is per- 

 ceptible in the sexes. 



While on board the United States revenue cutter Marion, and in the 

 waters of the Gulf Stream opposite Cape Florida, I saw a flock of these 

 birds, which, on our sailing among them, would scarcely swim off from our 

 bows, they being apparently gorged with food. As we were running at the 

 rate of about ten knots, we procured none of them. I have also seen this 

 species off Sandy Hook. 



Pcffincs obscurds, Bonap. Syn., p. 371. 



Dosky Petrel, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 337. 



Dcsky Petrel, Puffinus obscurus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 620. 



Male, 11, 26. 



Abundant during summer in the Gulf of Mexico, and off the coast east- 

 ward to Georgia. Some wander as far as Long Island. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, somewhat cylindrical, the tips 

 curved. Nostrils tubular, separate, inclosed in a horny sheath, and dorsal, 

 the outline straight, curved on the unguis, the sides nearly erect, convex, the 

 edges sharp, hard, and inflected, the tip decurved, strong. Lower mandible 

 straight, the angle very narrow and extending nearly to the tip, the dorsal 

 line beyond it decurved, the sides convex and inclining inwards, the edges 

 sharp and inflected. 



Head of moderate size. Neck of ordinary length; body ovate. Feet 

 stout; tibia bare a .short way above the joint; tarsus of moderate length, 

 rather stout, reticulate; hind toe a very slight knob, with a small conical 

 claw; fore toes long, slender, connected by reticulated webs with concave 



Vol. VII. 32 



