Order PR0CELLABIIF0BME8 
No. 92. 
Family PBOCELLABIIDM. 
PUFFINUS TENUIPOSTRIS INTERMEDIUS. 
SOLITARY PETREL. 
PuPFiNTJS INTERMEDIUS Hull, Emu, 1911, Vol. XI., p. 98 ; Cabbage Tree Island, Port 
Stephens, New South Wales. 
Adult male. “ General colour above blackish-brown, feathers of the back narrowly mar- 
gined with lighter ; crown of the head black ; throat, sides of the neck, and entire 
under-surface greyish-brown ; the shafts of the breast-feathers black ; bases of all the 
body -feathers grey, darker towards the tip ; wing-coverts and secondaries blackish- 
brown, margined with lighter ; primaries darker ; under wing-coverts ashy -grey, with 
black shafts ; rump and upper tail-coverts black, broadly margined with dark grey ; 
outer tail-feathers sooty black, the central feather distinctly longer than the others. 
“ Bill lead colour ; tarsi lead colour in front, bluish behind ; toes black ; interdigital 
membrane bluish-black above, darker beneath ; iris black.” 
“Total length 17 inches; wing 10.5, tail 3.5, biU 1.25, tarsus 2, middle toe and 
claw 2.5.” 
“ Compared with Puffinus hrevicaudus (Gould), this bird is larger (4 in. longer), more 
robust, has a stouter bill, and is generally lighter in colour. It differs from P. griseus 
(Gmelin) in its slightly smaller size, much smaller and slighter bill, darker colour, and 
the absence of the white under wing-coverts.” 
“ The type specimen was taken at Cabbage Tree Island, Port Stephens, New South 
Wales, December 4th, 1910.” 
The above is the original description given by Mr. Hull of this newly discovered 
Petrel. I have not seen the unique specimen yet, but herewith offer some notes 
on two specimens which I have, and which may help to provide a solution to the 
problem of this subspecies. 
From the Barrier Reef I received a specimen of P. hrevicaudus, and the 
inadequacy of collecting solitary specimens was once more impressed upon 
me when I noted the strange look of this bird. It differed at sight from the 
Bass Strait birds in its lighter coloration underneath with a noticeably grey 
throat, and in having the under wing-coverts ashy-grey with darker shafts. 
In this matter it approaches the Japanese form, with which of course Hull did 
not compare it, but from which it would appear to be separable by the color- 
ation of the bill. Of course, having only the one specimen, I could do no more 
than indicate the observed differences, and ask for a series to prove the solution. 
However, from Phillip Island, Bass Strait, I received a number of P. hrevicaudus, 
and though eight were typical P. hrevicaudus showing no variation, the ninth 
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