NATAT0RE3. 



409 



deck was quite unable to rise from it, and was destitute of the power 

 of standing, though it could run with the aid of its wings. 



" In alighting in the water, these birds take the same care in folding 

 and adjusting their wings, without wetting them, as the Albatrosses. 

 One was observed to seize a Thalassidroma violently, and to hold it 

 under the water, as if for the purpose of drowning it, but whether the 

 attempt succeeded or not was not noticed. On the other hand, the 

 small Petrels do not appear to be afraid of this species." 



Specimens, in various stages of plumage, are in the collection of the 

 Expedition. 



3. Procellaria TENUiROSTRis, Auduhon. 



Procellaria tenuirostris, AuD. Orn. Biog. V, p. 383 (1839). 



Procellaria glacialoides, A. Smith, 111. S. Af. Zool. Aves (not paged, 1849). 



Smith, Zool. S. Af Aves, Plate LI. 



This species, like the preceding, is related to and resembles, in gene- 

 ral characters and appearance, the Procellaria glacialis. It may, how- 

 ever, be readily distinguished from either that species or P.pacijica by 

 its lengthened and more slender bill, and all the specimens that we 

 have seen are lighter in color. 



The name applied to this species by Mr. Audubon, as above cited, 

 is entitled to be adopted as prior to that given by Dr. Smith, though 

 the exact date of the latter we cannot, at present, ascertain. The 

 title-page of the volume on Birds of Dr. Smith's Illustrations of the 

 Zoology of South Africa, gives 1849 as the date of publication, but it 

 is within the knowledge of all naturalists, that this very valuable 

 work was published in parts, with the date on the cover only. In 

 the copy to which we have access, which is bound and the covers 

 destroyed, there is no means of ascertaining the precise date of publica- 

 tion of any particular plate or description. It is, however, not pro- 

 bable that Plate LI, which is of the bird now before us, or the text 

 accompanying it, was published as early as 1839, which is the date 

 of Mr. Audubon's description of P. tenuirostris. 



This species is one which has a most extensive range of locality, 

 being known to frequent the coasts of the southern points of both of 



103 



