157 



AESTRELATA CARIBBAEA (CARTE). 



(Plate 37.) 



Procellaria jamaicensis Bancroft, Zoological Journal V, p. 81 (1835 — Nomen nudum!). 

 Pterodroma caribbaea Carte, P.Z.S. 1866, p. 93, pi. 10 (" Blue Mountains in insula 

 Jamaica "). 



Aestrelata caribbaea Giglioli & Salvadori, Ibis 1869, p. 66. 

 Fulmarus caribbaeus Gray, Handlist B. Ill, p. 107 (1871). 



Aestrelata jamaicensis Ridgway, Man. N. Am. B., p. 67 ; Cory, Cat. West-Indian B., p. 84 

 (1892). 



Oestrelata jamaicensis Salvin, Cat. B. Brit. Mus, p. 403 (1896). 



IT is surprising that the name jamaicensis has generally been adopted for 

 this species, as Bancroft gave no description whatever. The first 

 description is that of Carte, in 1866, which is as follows : — " Head, neck, 

 back, and wings of a uniform dark sooty brown ; vertex and external webs 

 of the primaries a shade or so darker ; abdominal feathers and under tail- 

 coverts a shade or two lighter than those of the back ; upper tail-coverts and 

 basal portion of tail-feathers of a light grey or dirty white. The light- 

 coloured patch on the rump is conspicuous when the wings are expanded, 

 but completely concealed when they are closed. I rides dark hazel. Tarsi, 

 toes, webs, and nails jet-black. 



" Length about 12| inches ; expanse of wings 34 inches ; length from 

 carpal joint to tip of first primary lOf inches ; length of bill, measured from 

 gape, If inches; length of nasal tubes inch; length of interval between 

 nostrils and commencement of apical curve of upper mandible | inch; length 

 of tarsi 1& inches ; length of toes, outer and middle, sub-equal 2 inches ; 

 length of inner toe If inches. First and second primaries sub-equal, and 

 about i inch longer than the third. Tail about 4j inches long and round at 

 extremity. The closed wings extend about 1J inches beyond the tail. Hallux 

 small, and in shape triangular." 



"With respect to the habits of the bird, Mr. March has most kindly 

 furnished me with the following interesting details : — 



" It is a night-bird, living in burrows in the marly clefts of the 

 mountains at the east and north-east end of the island. The burrows form 

 a gallery 6 to 10 feet long, terminating in a chamber sufficiently commodious 

 to accommodate the pair ; from this they sally forth at night, flying over the 

 sea in search of food (fishes), returning before dawn. It is often seen on 

 moonlight nights and at sunrise running about the neighbourhood of its 

 domicile, and sometimes crossing the road, regardless of the labourers going 

 to their work. I know nothing of its nidification." 



