84 
DUSKY ALBATROSS. 
rather small, slender, slightly arched, rather depressed, convex above, 
somewhat obtuse. 
Plumage full, soft, and blended. Wings very long and very narrow, the 
humerus and cubitus being extremely elongated ; the first primary longest, 
the rest very rapidly diminishing ; secondaries extremely short. Tail of 
moderate length, cuneate, of twelve strong feathers, of which the outer are 
rounded, the inner gradually more acute, the middle feather exceeding the 
lateral by two inches and three-fourths. 
Bill black ; feet yellow, claws greyish-white. The head and upper part 
of the neck are greyish-black, tinged with brown ; the rest of the neck, all 
the lower parts, the back and rump are light brownish-grey ; the scapulars 
darker, the wings coloured like the head ; the primary quills and tail- 
feathers greyish-black, with white shafts. The eyelids are narrowly mar- 
gined with white feathers, their anterior part excepted. 
Length to end of tail 34 inches ; bill along the ridge 4ff, along the edge 
of lower mandible 3 r ^ ; wing from flexure 21 ; tail 11 ; bare part of tibia 
1 ; tarsus S r \ ; inner toe 3xf, its claw middle toe 4, 4 ^, its claw 
outer toe 4fi, its claw 
Genus III.— PROCELLARIA, Linn. PULMAR. 
Bill of about the length of the head, or somewhat shorter, robust, straight, 
moderately compressed, with the tip decurved ; upper mandible with the 
nostrils dorsal, separated by a thin septum, covered by an elevated horny 
case, and opening dii*ectly forwards, the ridge nearly straight or concave in 
its outline, laterally sloping or convex, separated by a groove from the sides, 
which are erect and convex, the edges sharp, inflected, and in their outline 
slightly recurved from the base to the unguis, which is strong, decurved, and 
acute ; lower mandible with the angle long, narrow, acute, the sides erect, 
with a groove in their whole length, the edges sharp and direct, the very 
short dorsal line ascending and slightly concave, the edges decurved at the 
end. Head rather large, ovate ; neck rather short ; body full. Feet of 
moderate length, stout ; tibia bare for a short space below ; tarsus a little 
