794 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
“The next morning there were more, and on the third thousands filled the air. The new guests 
were pretty birds, barely of the size of a domestic pigeon, but they began to domineer all over the 
island in such a way that the few pairs of tropic birds, terns, and others which were still breeding 
made way before them, as if they could not stand these noisy neighbors. They are, on land, entirely 
nocturnal, and at once took possession of their innumerable subterranean burrows. In the bright 
moonshine one could see how they were busily engaged in removing the loose sand from holes, most 
of which had more or less collapsed since they had left them. Loving couples selected their nests and 
fought hard for them against later intruders. Quarrels, fights, and clamor became unceasing; in a few 
days there was no spot with sandy soil where the horrid ‘song’ of these petrels could not be heard. 
Under every bush, between our luggage and cases, and, alas, also under our bedroom, their tune was 
raised, which stood about in the middle between that which ‘drives men to madness’ and the cries 
of newborn babies, which are only harmonious to their devoted parents. The face of the island was 
entirely changed!” « 
Little could be learned of the habits of this petrel during our brief stay. We saw them come out 
of their burrows singly and in pairs after nightfall, and there were great numbers flying about. As we 
walked through the tall grass they frequently rose silently and flew a short distance to settle down 
soon. Many were evidently bound for the sea to feed. Their note resembles somewhat that of Puffinus 
cuneatus, and rises from a low moaning to an infant-like cry, as Dr. Schauinsland aptly describes it. 
This petrel ranges over the North Pacific Ocean. & 
Bulweria bulweri. « Bulwer Petrel. 
Procellaria bulweri Jardin & Selby, Ulustr. Orn., 1828, pi. 65. 
We found the Bulwer petrel breeding on Necker Island in considerable numbers. Here the 
birds nest in rather deep, bubble-like holes in the rocks, as far from the light as possible. We found 
the first bird by discovering a white egg under a loose, flat rock back in a cavity. When the stone 
was lifted the petrel was under the far side. The favorite site, however, is a hole about 2 feet deep, 
with a narrow entrance, and wider cavity at the rear. These are probably bubbles in the lava. The 
nest, scarcely worthy of the name, consists of a few old tern feathers gathered rudely around the egg, 
as if merely to hold it in place. Sometimes there is no trace of a nest, and again I found a few wing 
bones of a tern, as though these ha.d been used in place of sticks. We found many nests, each with 
one egg, or occasionally the birds had not yet begun to lay. Once we found a set of two eggs. They 
are a glossless pure white and differ much in shape, no two in the collection of nine being alike. 
Ovate is the most prevalent type, more or less acute, varying to elliptical ovate and short ovate. 
One egg is nearly elliptical. An ovate specimen measures 44 by 30 millimeters, another 41 by 31. 
An almost elliptical egg is 45 by 30. 
The Bulwer petrel is quite gentle, and when first disturbed utters a penetrating but low moan 
something like who! who! dove-like in quality, but decidedly different from the oo-ow' of the uau kane 
( Puffinus cuneatus). On several nests we found two birds sitting side by side. 
Henry Palmer found this species on French Frigate Shoals, where it was nesting under a pile of 
old turtle shells. He also met with it on Laysan, where we did not detect any during our stay. 
a Drei Monate auf einer Koralleninsel, p. 49. Extract transl. in Avifauna of Laysan, p. 304. 
b Cat. B. B. Mus., xxv, 1896, p. 409. 
cAs Rothschild in "Avifauna of Laysan,” part 3, 1900, uses the name Bulweria anjinho, and Wilson and Evans do the 
same in "Aves Ha waiienses, ” 1899, I wrote to Dr. Leonhard Stejneger and Dr. C. W. Richmond for information on this 
point. Dr. Stejneger writes: “ In reply to your inquiry respecting Bulweria bulweri or B. anjinho, I am able to state that 
the former is the only correct name. Dr. Richmond, who kindly looked the case up for me, as he has easier access to the 
books, informs me that not only was B. anjinho published a year later than B. bulweri , but that the diagnosis of the former 
is so defective that it is doubtful if it really refers to the bird in question, inasmuch as the tail is said to be ‘slightly 
forked,’ while in B. bulweri it is graduated or wedge-shaped. The latter name (bulweri) dates from 1828, the former from 
October, 1829.” 
Dr. Richmond writes as follows regarding the date of Jardine & Selby’s “ Illustrations of Ornithology": “Jardine 
& Selby’s ‘ Illustrations of Ornithology ’ was issued in several parts, and until a few years ago the dates of the different 
parts were guessed at. In the Ibis for 1894 you will find a note by Sherborn giving the dates of the different installments 
of the work, and plate 65 (Procellaria buhveri) comes in part 4, which was issued in November, 1828.” 
I might add that Mr. Sherborn’s references to the second series were all wide of the mark, which probably accounts 
for the persistent publication of 1830 as the date of Procellaria bulweri. Dr. Richmond, who had previously worked out the 
dates for this work, sent a note of correction to Mr. Sherborn, who revised the dates of the second series in answer to 
Dr. Richmond’s "inquiries” (sic)— a delicate way of acknowledging the mistake. 
