Oeder TUBINAEES.] 
[Fam. PEOCELLAEIID^, 
(ESTEELATA AEEINIS. 
(MOTTLED PETEEL.) 
Procellaria affinis, Buller, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. vii. pp. 215 16 (1875;. 
(Estrelata gularis'\, Salvin, Ibis, 1888-, p. 358. 
id. supra saturate cinereus: dorsi plumis et supracaudalibus nigro terminatis : tectricibus alarum minimis et al^ 
spuriA, nigricauti-brunneis : primariis extus nigricanti-brunneis, intus albis : secundariis pallide cmereis, albo 
anguste marginatis, basaliter albis : rectricibus saturate; cinereis, duabus externis intiis albidis : fronte alba 
cinerascenti-nigro yariegata : regione suboculari conspicue cinerascenti-nigra ; facie laterali guttureque albis ; 
pectore imo et abdomine cinereis, plumis -basaliter albis : corpore rcliquo subtus albo, pectoris latenbus 
cinereo lavatis, hypocbondi-iis et subcaudalibus inferioribus cinereo variis et minute transfasciatis : subalaribus 
albis, exterioribus conspicub nigricantibus : rostro nigro : pedibus sordide flavis, digito externo et membranis 
interdigitalibus nigris. 
Adult. Crown, bind neck, and all tlie upper surface dark asby grey, tbe feathers of tbe back, rump, and upper 
tail-coverts margined with greyish black ; all the small wing-coverts and the primary quills brownish black, 
the latter largely marked with white on their inner webs ; the secondaries and their coverts ash-grey, 
narrowly margined with white, and wholly white towards the base of each feather ; tail-feathers dark ash- 
grey, the two outermost ones on each side marked with light grey on their inner webs; forehead slightly 
mottled with white ; lores, chin, and throat perfectly white ; a conspicuous spot of greyish black under each 
eye; upper part of breast washed and freckled with grey; middle part of breast and the abdomen dark 
cinereous, the underpart of the feathers white ; sides of the body and smaller tail-coverts freckled and 
minutely barred with grey; long under tail-coverts white. The inner surface of the wings is pure white, 
but there is a broad bar of slaty black extending from the elbow to the carpal flexure, where it spreads and 
is continued along the outer edge. Total length 13 inches ; wing, from flexure, 10-5 ; tail 4 ; bill, along 
the ridge 1-25, along the edge of lower mandible 1-5 ; tarsus 1'2; middle toe and elaw 1-75. 
I DESCRIBED this species from a specimen in the Canterbury Museum, to which I found attached a 
ticket with the following memorandum, “Shot; Potts River, 1872.” I afterwards received a freshly 
skinned one from Mr. C. H. Robson, with the slightest possible variation in the measurements. This 
was obtained at Cape Campbell ; and Mr. Robson wrote to me (under date J une 3) that he had secured 
another, which struck the Moeraki Lighthouse in thick weather and was killed. (See Plate XLV.). 
Still more recently a fresh example was received at the Canterbury Museum from the Spencer 
Mountains. This* one has the colours more pronounced than in my type; but exhibits the same 
pretty mottled markings on the forehead, and freckled touches of grey on the sides of the neck and 
lower part of the breast, where the white mixes with the clear dark grey of the rest of the body. 
Dr. Finsch has expressed his belief that this Petrel is the same as Procellaria mollis (Gould) ; 
but the two birds are absolutely and entirely distinct. It may possibly prove to be identical with 
Procellaria gularis (Peale), as suggested by Mr. Salvin; but there is no specimen of the latter in 
Europe with which to compare it. The unique example upon which Peale founded his description 
(U. S. Expl. Exp., Birds, p. 299) is in the Smithsonian Institution, and I hope to investigate the 
subject further during my proposed visit to America next year. In the meantime I have thought it 
better to figure and describe my bird under the new name which I bestowed upon it in New Zealand. 
