Oedee TUBINAEES.] 
[Fam. PEOCELLAEIID^. 
(ESTEELATA MOLLIS. 
(SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL.) 
Procellaria mollis, Gould, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xiii. p. 363 (1844). 
CooMlaria mollis, Bonap. Consp. Av. 1855, ii. p. 190. 
RJwntistes mollis, Bonap. Compt. Bend. xlii. 1856, p. 768. 
JEstrelata mollis. Cones, Proc. Phil. Acad. 1866, p. 630. 
(Estrelata mollis, Salvin, Proc, Z. S. 1878, p. 738. 
Ad. supr^ griseus, pileo paullo saturatiore : alis brunnescenti-nigris : caud^ grisea : plumis frontalibus albido 
marginatis : regiotie oculari nigra, fasciam longitudinalem supra-auricularem formante : genis et faciei 
lateribus albis, griseo fasciatis, guM et corpore reliquo subtus albis : gutture imo et prsepectore einereis vel 
griseo fimbriatis : subalaribus schistaceo-fuliginosis : rostro nigro : pedibus flavis, digitis dimidio apicali 
nigricantibus. 
Adult. Crown of the head and general upper surface dark slaty grey, the feathers of the shoulders and back 
margined with paler grey ; forehead and fore part of face speckled with white ; in front of and below the 
eyes a conspicuous mark of black ; throat and fore neck white ; the grey of the upper surface spreads down 
the sides of the neck and breast, meeting in front, and forming a band with freckled edges ; underparts of 
the body pure white, the flanks sometimes stained and freckled with grey ; entire upper surface of wings 
brownish black, the primaries dusky on their inner webs; tail-feathers slaty grey, the three outer ones on 
each side more or less freckled with white, particularly on their inner webs ; inner lining of wings dark slaty 
grey, more or less varied with white ; some of the axillaries uniform slaty grey, others are freckled and 
clouded with paler grey. Irides and bill black ; tarsi and basal portion of two inner toes yellow, the rest of 
the feet black. Total length 14 inches ; wing, from flexure, 10'25 ; tail4'5; bill, along the ridge 1'35, along 
the edge of lower mandible 1-5 ; tarsus 1-25 ; middle toe and claw 2. 
Young. Gould states that the young differs in having all the under surface dark grey and the throat freckled 
with grey. 
Ohs. In some of the British- Museum specimens there is evidence of dimorphic coloration, the entire underparts 
being pale slaty brown. 
Dr. Finscii states that the ‘ Novara’ Expedition collected specimens of this bird in lat. 35° S., long. 
175° 5' E. It is therefore clearly entitled to a place in our avifauna. 
Of this bird Mr. Gould writes : — “ It is a species that will ever live in my memory, from its being 
the first large Petrel I saw after crossing the line, and from a somewhat curious incident that then 
occurred. The weather being too boisterous to admit of a boat being lowered, I endeavoured to 
capture the bird with a hook and line ; and the ordinary sea-hooks being too large for the purpose, I 
was in the act of selecting one from my stock of salmon-fiies, when a sudden gust of wind blew my 
hooks and a piece of parchment ten inches long by six inches wide, between which they were placed, 
overboard into the sea, and I was obliged to give up the attempt for that day ; on the next I succeeded 
in capturing the bird with a hook I had still left, and the reader may judge of my surprise when on 
opening the stomach I there found the piece of parchment, softened by the action of the salt water 
and the animal juices to which it had been subjected, but so completely uninjured that it was dried 
and again restored to its original use when a further supply of flies could be procured.” 
