BIRDS OF THE OCEAN AND SEASHORE 
269 
Nest. — In a large cavity at the end of a burrow, lined with fine root- 
fibres, twigs, ferns, or leaves. Burrows are generally made beneath plants 
growing on hillsides, and often connect and form other entrances to the 
nesting-chamber. 
Egg. — White. Breeding-season: October and November. 
13. Broad-billed Prion Pachyptila vittata Gmelin 
Pach-y-ptil'-a — Gk, pachys, thick; Gk, ptilon , feather: vit-ta-ta — L., 
vit tains, banded. 
Distribution. — Southern oceans, between latitudes 60° S. and 40° S., 
occasionally north to Madagascar and Reunion Island. 
Notes. — Also called Dove-petrel, Whale-bird, and Ice-bird. Usually 
in flocks, frequenting the seas of southern Australia and Tasmania. It is 
usually seen in flocks flying swiftly over the surface of the water. 
Occasionally during stormy weather numbers of this species are washed up 
on the beaches along the coast of New South Wales. Its food consists 
chiefly of plankton organisms, procured from the surface of the sea. 
Breeds in colonies on the Chatham Islands and on South Georgia, Tristan 
da Cunha, and Gough, the Crozet, Marion, and St Paul Islands. 
Nest . — In a chamber hollowed out at the end of a rat-like burrow 
made in slanting soil ; in a natural cavity in rocks ; or under densely matted 
stems and roots of pig-face weed. 
Egg. — White. Breeding-season : September and October, and January. 
14. Fairy Prion Pachyptila turtur Kuhl 
tur-tur — L., turtur , dove. 
Distribution. — Southern oceans, between latitudes 60° S. and 35° S., 
occasionally north to Madeira. 
Notes— Also called Dove-petrel, Whale-bird, and Short-billed Prion. 
Usually in flocks, frequenting the seas of southern and south-eastern 
Australia, and Tasmania. It is similar in habits and economy to the other 
species of Prions. Breeds in colonies on islands in Bass Strait and on 
the Kerguelen, Chatham, Bounty, and Antipodes Islands. 
Nest. — In a natural cavity in rocks or under densely matted stems and 
roots of pig-face weed. 
Egg. — White. Breeding-season: October to December. 
15. Dove-prion Pachyptila desolata Gmelin 
desolata — Isle of Desolation, now Kerguelen Island. 
Distribution. — Southern oceans, between latitudes 60°S. and 35°S. ; 
occasionally north to the Malay Archipelago. 
Notes . — Also called Banks’s Petrel and Whale-bird. Usually in flocks, 
frequenting the seas of southern Australia, and Tasmania. It. is similar 
in habits and economy to the other species of Prions. Breeds in colonies 
on Lawrence Rocks, Portland, Victoria, also on the South Orkneys, South 
Georgia, and Kerguelen, Auckland, Antipodes, and Macquarie Islands. 
Nest. — In a cavity at the end of a burrow. 
Egg. — White. Breeding-season : November to February. 
