406 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



April, 1840, at sea, the distance from the coast of Oregon being about 

 two hundred miles, he mentions it more fully subsequently, under date 

 of the 29th of the same month, as follows: 



" In sight of the coast of Oregon. Great numbers of the Gray Tha- 

 lassiclroma are to-day flitting around and in the track of the vessel, very 

 actively engaged in searching for particles of food thrown overboard. 

 Generally, this bird reminds me of T. Wilsonii, but the wings seem 

 longer and its movements appear to be more rapid, and in fact more 

 like that of the larger Petrels [Procellm-ia) . It occasionally sails in 

 its flight, but, for the greater part, moves by very rapidly flexing its 

 wings, in the same manner as the species mentioned. 



These birds proved not difficult to capture, and several specimens 

 were taken with a hook and line. They would dive a foot or two 

 after the bait, making use of their wings in and under the water, from 

 which they apparently had not that difficulty in rising observable in 

 the Albatrosses. Though their power of swimming seemed rather 

 feeble, they alighted in the water without hesitation. The dead body 

 of one of their companions being thrown overboard, they clustered 

 around it with as much avidity as around any other food. 



" The specimens obtained agree generally in color of plumage, being 

 nearly a uniform pale gray, with the abdomen paler and sometimes 

 nearly white, and with generally a lighter bar across the wing, shown 

 when expanded. Uttered a faint note when taken on board." 



The Prince Bonaparte regards this bird as generically distinct from 

 the preceding. In his Monograph, in Conspectus Avium, II, p. 194, 

 it is arranged in the genus Oceanodroma, Reichenbach, with Thalas- 

 sidroma Hornby i, Gray. It is exceedingly like the dark-colored species, 

 well known as belonging to this group, in form and other general cha- 

 racters, but differs materially in color. 



Mr. Peale inserts the following under the head of this species : 



" We observed this species in numbers on the Northwest Coast of 

 America, as far north as visited by the Expedition, but not farther 

 south than the thirty-eighth degree of latitude. Our specimens were 

 obtained on the coast of Oregon. 



" On reference to notes on this genus, made while in the Southern 

 Hemisphere, we find that in the month of March, in latitude 62° S., 

 longitude 77° W. of Greenwich, the following entry was made : A 

 very pretty species of Petrel has been following us for some days ; its 

 voice, size, and habits are the same as Wilson's {Thalassidroma Wil- 



