Oedee TTJBINARES.] 
[Fam. PROCELLARIID^. 
DIOMEDEA EULIGINOSA. 
(SOOTY ALBATROS.) 
Sooty Albatros, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 1, p. 309 (1785). 
Diomedea fuliginosa, Gra. Syst. Nat. i. p. 568 (1788). 
Dioniedea spadicea. Lesson, Man. d’Orn. ii. p. 391 (1828). 
Biomedea fusca. And. Orn. Biogr. v. p. 116 (1839). 
Biomedea palpehrata, Lorst. Descr. An. p. 55 (1844). 
Phoehetria fuliginosa, Reich. Natiirl. Syst. Vog. p. v (1852). 
Amative name. — Toroa-pango. 
Ad. fuliginoso-cinereus, ahs cauddque saturatioribus ; facie laterali nigricante : fascul postoculari alb4 : primari- 
orum scapis ad basin albis, rectricum scapis omninb albis : rostro nigro, gonyde albicante : pedibus albis 
purpureo laviitis : irido saturate ciiierascenti-bruiinea. 
Adult male. Head and neck and upper surface of wings and tail brownish black; back and mantle slaty brown, 
with obscure wavy bands or margins of brownish grey; the rest of the plumage uniform dark slaty grey; 
the eyes surrounded posteriorly for two thirds of their circumference by a distinct mark of white ; the shafts 
of the primaries white in their basal portion, and those of the tail-feathers in their whole extent. Irides 
dark greyish brown ; bill jet-black and perfectly smooth, with a white cartilaginous line along each side of 
the lower mandible ; legs and feet white, with a purplish tinge. Total length 32-5 inches ; wing, from 
flexure, 19; tall 9-5 ; bill, along the curvature 4-25, from the gape to extremity of lower mandible 375 ; 
tarsus 275 ; middle toe and claw 475. 
Adidt female. Similar to the male, except that the whole plumage is lighter, being of a dull sooty brown, darker 
on the head and upper surface of wings and tail; the feathers of the back and the interscapulars broadly 
margined with paler brown. 
Young. Difiers from the female only in having the plumage of the upper parts more largely tinged with brown, 
the margins of the feathers paler, and the marks encircling the eyes light grey instead of white. 
Nestling. Covered with thick down having a woolly appearance, and being sooty black with pale brown tips. 
Var. A specimen obtained by Mr. Reischek at Antipodes Island is remarkable on account of its very pale 
colour. The general upper surface is slaty grey, becoming darker on the head ; the underparts uniform 
light slate-colour. 
Note. The flne series in my collection consists of the adult male bird, female, and young, as described above. 
This well-known species (the “ Cape-Lien” of sailors), which appears to be geneially distributed, over 
the temperate latitudes southward of the Equator, is comparatively common in thelsewZeaan 
seas. Its graceful form and long cuneated tail at once distinguish it from all the other mem eis 
the group, while its short and rather feeble legs indicate its more aerial character. Thus we n 
Mr. Gould observing that “ in its actions and mode of flight it differs very considerably from ate 
