Order PR0CELLAR1IF0RME8 
No. 115. 
Family DIOMEDEIDjE, 
DIOMEDEA EXULANS CHIONOPTERA. 
SNOWY ALBATROS. 
Diomedea chionoptera Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mas., Vol. XXV., p. 443, 1896 ; 
Kerguelen Island. 
Diomedea chionoptera Salvin, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., Vol. XXV., p. 443, 1896; Hall, 
Ibis 1900, p. 12 ; Mathews, Handl. Birds Austral., p. 19, 1908 ; Godman, Monogr! 
Petrels, p. 322, 1910. 
Distribution. South Indian Ocean (Kerguelen Island, Marion Island, Crozets breeding). 
Adult male. Differs from adult D. e. exulans in its larger size and whiter coloration, only 
the primaries, outer webs of the outer secondaries, and the lesser wing-coverts 
and inner secondaries, with the tips of the scapulars, being black ; the rest of the 
plumage is white. The soft parts do not appear to have been described from 
hfe. Wing 660 mm. 
Adult female. Similar ? 
Nestling. “Covered with pure white silky down” (Layard, Ihis, 1867, p. 460). 
Nest. “ Made up of peaty grass interwoven with fibrous earth. A typical nest measured 
37 inches, diameter of bowl 18 inches, depth of bowl 5 inches. The floor of this bowl 
would be about 2 inches deep, as all was simply matted with the natural short grass, 
and appeared as if merely placed upon it. Many nests are raised 1| feet. Some have 
well-trimmed sides of earth, and are conical, but they are in the minority.” (Hall.) 
Egg. “Chalky white, coarse to the touch, 5" x 3''. 3'^'” (Layard, Ihis, 1867, p. 460). 
“ One egg weighed lib., and measured 5.25 inches by 3.20 inches, and this was 
the largest found ” (Hall). 
Breeding-season. “January (fresh eggs); February (half -incubated eggs)” (Hall). 
Under the name Diomedea exulans chionoptera Salvin, I am including birds 
breeding on Marion Island, the Crozets and Kerguelen Island, though there seems 
evidence pointing to the later recognition of further races. The few birds 
at present available are, unfortunately, apparently all picked birds, so that 
it would be inadvisable to use them as typical. This bird must therefore 
be included in the Australian List, on the undoubted occurrence of Crozet 
bird in West Australia chronicled by Campbell {Nests and Eggs Austr. Birds, 
p. 921, 1901), thus : “ One of these majestic birds was brought prominently 
under notice some years ago by falling exhausted and dying upon the beach 
at Fremantle, West Australia, with a tin plate fastened round its neck inscribed 
with the mournful intelligence of the loss of the French ship ‘ Tamaris ’ and 
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