Oedbb TUBINAEES.] 
rPAM. PEOCELLAKIID^. 
(ESTRELATA LESSON! 
(WHITE-HEADED PETREL.) 
Procellaria lessonii, Garnot, Ann, Sci. Nat, vii. p. 54, pi. 4 (1826). 
Procellaria leucocephala, Forst. Descr. Anim, p. 206 (1844). 
Ekantistes lessoni, Bonap. C. R. xlii. p. 768 (1856). 
Astrelata leucocephala, Bonap. Consp. Av. ii. p. 189 (1857). 
JEstrelata lessonii, Cass. Proc. Phil. Acad. 1862, p. 327. 
Fulmarus lessonii. Gray, Hand-1, of B. hi. p. 106 (1871). 
Procellaria lessoni, Buller, Birds of New Zealand, 1st ed. p. 303 (1873). 
Ad. pileo summo et facie laterali albidis : regione ante- et suboculari nigricante : cello postico et laterali albicante 
obsolete cinereo transfa,sciato : interscapulio et dorso siiperiore obscure ciiiereis, ad apicem obsolete fulve- 
scente fasciatis : dorso postico et uropygio saturate fuliginosis, supracaudalibus albis, versus apicem cineia- 
scentibus : tectricibus alarum fuliginoso-brunneis, majoribus estus cinereis : remigibus fuliginoso-brunneis, 
intus cinerascentibus : caudi albd, pennis centralibus suprit cinereis, reliquis plus minusve obsolete bruuneo 
vermiculatis : corpore subtus albo : subalaribus fuliginoso-brunneis : rostro nigro : pedibus obsciirb tlavis, 
digito externo et palmis partim nigris : iride nigra. 
Adult. Crown of the bead and nape greyish white, obseurely and minutely freckled with darker grey ; back, 
mantle, and rump cinereous grey; upper surface of wdngs brownish black, the larger coverts narrowly edged 
with greyish white ; sides of the head white, with a broad mark of brownish black crossing the eyes ; throat, 
fore neck, and all the underparts pure white ; primaries and secondaries brownish black, lighter on their 
inner webs ; tail-feathers pale cinereous grey on their upper surface, and freckled at the tips ; inner lining 
of wings sooty black, varied with grey. Irides and bill black ; tarsi and a portion of the feet dull yellow , 
the outer toe of each foot and a diagonal patch across the webs black. Total length 18 inches ; wing, from 
flexure, 12; tail SA ; bill, following the curvature of upper mandible 1-9, length of lower mandible 17; 
tarsus 1-6; middle toe and claw 2-5. 
I HAVE never seen this fine Petrel but once in New Zealand, and it is evidently very rare. The one I 
refer to was picked up in a dying condition, in the ocean surf, near Kaipara heads. Mr. Eeischek 
informs me that he saw it once at the Hen and Chickens, but could not secure it. The example 
figured in my former edition was obtained at the Bay of Islands, and is now in the British Mu sem. 
So far, therefore, as our present information goes, this bird confines its range to the ocean lying north- 
ward of New Zealand. 
Mr. Gould has given the following account of it in his ‘ Birds of Australia’ While engaged 
in watching the movements of the several species of the great family of P)Ocellarudce, which at one 
time often and often surrounded the ships that conveyed me round the world, a bright speck would 
appear on the distant horizon, and, gradually approaching nearer and nearer, at length assume the 
form of the White-headed Petrel, w’hose wing-powers far exceed those of any of its congeners : at one 
moment it would be rising high in the air, at the next sweeping comet-like through the flocks flying 
around ; never, however, approaching sufficiently near for a successful shot ; and it was equally wary 
in avoiding the boat with which I -was frequently favoured for the purpose of procuring examples of 
other species.” He states, moreover, that during flight the dark colouring on the wings shows very 
conspicuously, assuming the form of the letter W. ^ 
