AUSTRALIAN DOVE-PRION. 
In 1840 Smith {Ulus. Zool. South Africa, Aves, pi. lv.), ignoring P. desolata, 
proposed P. hanksi, as annexed : — 
P. supra grisea ; capite supeme, cervice, interscapularibusque brunneo-tinctis ; alarum 
tectricibus minoribus apicibusque scapularium brurmeo-rubris ; cauda grisea, flavo-griseao- 
tincta, plumarum apicibus sordide brunneus. Fascia purpurea brumieo-rubro-tincta trans 
oculum, pectorisque lateribus nitide griseis ; infra alba. Oculis brunneis. Eostro livide 
brunneo, versus apicem supeme viride-albonebulato. Pedibus brimneo-rubris. 
Longitude ab apice rostri ad basin caudae 6 unc. 3 lin ; caudae 3 unc. 9 lin. Cape Seas. 
and also described P. turtur, of both of which he gave figures and details 
of the bills. 
In 1844 Gould accepted P. turtur, and this usage was continued until Gray 
{Handl. Gen. Spec. Birds, Vol. III., p. 108, 1871) noted that Gmelin’s P. desolata 
was referable to the genus Prion. Almost immediately the receipt of specimens 
from Kerguelen Island enabled Coues {Bull. U.S. Nat Mus., No. 2, p. 32, 
1875) to recognise that P. desolata was founded on the bird he had identified 
as P. hanksii in his essay in the Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1866, p. 166. 
In the Consp. Gen. Av., Bonaparte (Vol. II., p. 193) had included 
P. banksi Smith, and P. turtur Solander, and added : “ Pr. rossi Gr. Mus. 
Britann. ex Mar. antarcticis. Similis Prioni turturi ; sed. minor, et 
proportionibus diversis : rostro latiore.” 
Fortunately the specimen to which this name was given is still preserved 
in the British Museum, so that it is possible to find out what this species is, 
but the others are not accurately determinable. 
Sharpe’s acceptance of P. desolatus, as already noted, included all the 
thin-biUed Prions. 
In the Journ. fiir Ornith., 1905, p. 505, Vanhoffen mentions a Prion dispar, 
but I have seen no description of this. 
My own investigations lead me to separate the birds commonly known as 
P. brevirostris or P. ariel Gould, generically from the forms grouped round 
P . desolatus Gmelin. I have dealt with my reasons for so doing in a preceding 
article. 
Compared with a long series from Kerguelen Island, which can be regarded 
as typical P. desolatus Gmelin, I find that the type of P. banksi Smith is not 
specifically distinct. The description pointed to this conclusion, as also the 
figures of the bill given by Smith and Sharpe. ^ 
The type of P. rossi Bonaparte agrees exactly with the preceding. 
Many of the records of P. banksi refer to this species, notably the Cape 
birds and Wilson’s Auckland Island and Macquarie Island series. 
Other records of P. banksi have to be credited to another species, which 
have been noted in a preceding article. 
VOL. n. 
229 
