AVIFAUNA OF LAYS AN. 



45 



21. PUFFINUS NATIVITATIS, Streets. 



BLACK SHEARWATER,. 



Pvffinus, n. sp., Streets, Amer. Nat. xi. p. 71 (1877) (Christmas L, south of Fanning Is.). 



Pvffimis nativitatis, Streets, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1877, no. 7, p. 29 (Christmas I.) ; Lister, P. Z. S. 1891, 



pp. 295, 300 (Phoenix and Canton Is., Krusenstern I., west of the Hawaiian Is.) ; Pidgw. Man. N.-Am. 



B. p. 62 (1887) (Christmas I.). 



Sooty black above, deepest on bead, wings, and tail ; sooty brown below. Iris brown ; bill 

 black; legs and feet brown. Total length about 14£ inches, wing 9*5 to 9'85, tail 3*5, 

 culmen 1-25, tarsus 165 to 1*7, middle toe with claw 1*95 to 2. 



The Black Shearwater was met with on Trench Frigate and Laysan Islands. It lays its 

 egg on the surface of the ground, under grass and scrub, and does not burrow like its con- 

 geners. The bare apology for a nest consists of a little grass, and they lay only one egg. 

 Palmer often saw the parents sitting together on the nest side by side. The eggs before 

 me resemble those of Titffinus cuneatus, Salvin, but are much smaller and more elongate, 

 measuring 2*24 by 1*45 inches and 2*37 by 1*35. 



