Ordov  VTTT.  ANSERES. 
The  fourth  Family, 
PROCELLARIDiE,  or  Petrels, 
^ave  the  Bill  more  or  less  lengthened,  straight,  more  or  less  compressed,  and  grooved  as  if  composed 
several  pieces,  with  the  tip  strong,  arched,  suddenly  hooked  and  acute,  and  the  nostrils  tubular  and 
exposed. 
Ehe  first  Subfamily, 
PROCEIjLARINAI,  or  Petrels  proper, 
have  the  Nostrils  placed  on  the  basal  portion  of  the  culmen 
iPont.  ’ 
tubular,  and 
generally  opened 
in 
Pelecanoides  Lacep.* 
Bill  shorter  than  the  head,  broad  at  the  base,  and  much  depressed  ; the  sides  swollen,  grooved,  and 
gradually  compressed  towards  the  tip,  which  is  lengthened,  compressed,  arched,  and  acute : the  lower 
Mandible  broad  at  the  base,  and  suddenly  compressed  at  the  tip,  Avhich  is,  with  the  gonys,  arched  and 
^'^ute ; the  sides  longitudinally  grooved  and  deep ; beneath  is  placed  a membranous  pouch,  capable  of 
^Xtension  : the  nostrils  basal,  one  fourth  the  length  of  the  bill,  flattened  above,  and  forming  two 
®^gthened,  sublinear,  exposed  apertures,  placed  side  by  side  on  the  surface.  Wings  very  short,  with 
he  first  two  quills  nearly  equal  and  longest.  Tail  short  and  rounded.  Tarsi  rather  shorter  than  the 
®^iddle  toe,  laterally  compressed,  and  covered  with  small  scales.  Zbes  long;  the  outer  nearly  as  long 
the  middle  toe  ; the  hind  toe  and  claw  wanting. 
Zealand,  Australia,  and  the  southern  parts  of  South  America.  They  are  generally 
1 ™ surface  of  the  water  near  the  shores,  or  on  the  inland  seas,  diving  very  frequently  with  con- 
'veh  • ^ a,fter  their  prey,  which  is  supposed  to  consist  of  small  fish.  They  fly  during  the  evening  moderately 
dav  ^ hue,  by  the  rapid  movement  of  their  short  wings.  If  the  Patagonian  species  is  disturbed  durino-  the 
take  water,  it  generally  dives  to  a distance,  and,  on  coming  to  the  surface,  with  the  same  movement 
flown  some  distance,  it  drops  like  a stone  on  the  water,  as  if  struck  dead,  and  instantaneously  dives 
F urinatrix  (Gmel.).  — Procellaria  tridactyla  Forst.  Icon 
2.  P.  Berardii  (Quoy  & Gaim.)  Voy.  de  I’Uranie,  Zool.  pi.  31., 
PI.  col.  .'517. 
3.  P.  Garnotii  (Less.)  Voy.  de  la  Coqu.  Zool.  pi.  46. 
^ j coequal  with  Iluladroma  of  Illiger,  1811,  and  Piiffinuria  of  M.  Lesson,  18,81.  Lacepede’s  name,  however,  appeared  in  the 
■ I InHHnt,  p.  .'ll?.,  between  1800  and  1801. 
