Order PROCELLARIIFOBMES 
No. Ill, 
Family PROGELLARIIDM. 
HETEROPKION BELOHERI. 
AUSTRALIAN THIN-BILLED PRION. 
Heteropeion beloheei, sp. n. ; coast of Victoria ; Type no. 10,039 in my collection. 
Disteibtjtion. Australian seas. 
Adult. Like the H. desolatus group in general coloration, but easily separated by its very 
thin bill, whose width is less than a third of its length. Wing 183 mm. ; culmen (exp.) 
26 mm. long, 8 wide at base ; tarsus 33. 
Nothing is as yet known regarding its habits or breeding-place. 
The history of its discovery is very interesting. Mr. Charles Belcher 
sent me the following note : — 
Thirteen miles due south of Geelong, 23rd July, 1911. 
Strong south-east wind with high glass, following a depression with rain and heavy 
north-westerly and westerly gales. 
Fifteen Prions on the beach at intervals between the bathing boxes and the “ Scammel ” 
wreckage east of Jaar-ru-ruc ; thickest in ZeaUy Bay. One just at water’s edge, very fresh, 
others at high-water mark. Freshness of specimens could be told by membrane under 
bill ; this was intact in seven cases, other eight eaten away, probably by sea-lice. A few 
other bodies reduced to skeletons ; altogether, remains of twenty birds, including above 
fifteen. 
No very great difference in the sizes of the birds ; about 1 inch between largest and 
shortest. 
Types of bill : — 
(a) Long and comparatively narrow at base ; only three of these, and one of these has the 
bill a little thicker in the middle and a shade of curve in the line of the mandibles. In 
size I cannot distinguish these three from the rest. Seen from side, biU is quite slender 
in centre. 
(&) Ten of these and three heads. As long as a but much broader in the average at 
the base, a thicker bill altogether, and the hook at tip less sharp ; seen from side the biU is 
deeper through than a. Yet one bird I have placed in a is very near a specimen of h. 
(c) Two birds quite noticeably smaller in the body than either a or 6. BiU shorter 
than either a or h — short and stubby. Yet it is broader at the base than a, but not so broad as b. 
Characteristics, then, are : small size of body and short stubby bill. 
From descriptions in CampbeU I diagnose : — 
{a) P. desolatus {turtur)=\belcheri,'rxor.'\ 3 
(b) P ban1csi={mattingleyi, subsp. n.] 13 
(c) P. ariel=turtur. 2 
In aU three no lameUse were visible 
with biU closed. 
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