118 
Genus Puffinus. 
The members of this genus inhabit the seas of both the northern 
and southern hemisphere, but are nowhere more abundant than 
round Australia, the fauna of which country comprises four species, 
all of which make one or other of the groups of islands lying oft’ the 
coast their great nurseries or breeding-places. 
606. Puffinus brevicaudus, Brandt .... Yol. VII. PI. 56. 
It will be seen that I have alluded in forcible terms to the great 
abundance of this species, in confirmation of which I annex the fol- 
lowing extract from Flinders’ Voyage, vol. i. p. 170 
“ A large flock of Gannets was observed at daylight, and they 
were followed by such a number of the sooty petrels as we had 
never seen equalled. There was a stream of from fifty to eighty yards 
in depth, and of three hundred yards or more in breadth ; the birds 
were not scattered, but were flying as compactly as a free movement 
of their wings seemed to allow ; and during a full hour and a half 
this stream of Petrels continued to pass without interruption, at a 
rate little inferior to the swiftness of the Pigeon. On the lowest 
computation I think the number could not have been less than a 
hundred millions. Taking the stream to have been fifty yards deep 
by three hundred in width, and that it moved at the rate of thirty 
miles an hour, and allowing nine cubic yards of space to each bird, 
the number would amount to 151,500,000. The burrows required 
to lodge this quantity of birds would be 75,750,000 ; and allowing 
a square yard to each burrow, they would cover something more 
than 18-|- geographic square miles of ground.” 
607. Puffinus carneipes, Gould Yol. VII. PI. 57. 
608. Puffinus sphenurus,. Gould Yol. VII. PI. 58. 
609. Puffinus assimilis, Gould Vol. VII. PI. 59. 
Genus Puffinuria. 
One species of this genus inhabits the Australian seas. 
610. Puffinuria Urinatrix Vol. VII. PI. 60. 
Genus Thalassidroma. 
The little tenants of the ocean belonging to this genus are so 
universally dispersed, that they are found in all the seas except those 
of the very high latitudes of both hemispheres. The Australian 
fauna is particularly rich in birds of this form, inasmuch as no less 
than five distinct species frequent the seas which wash the shores of 
that country. 
611. Thalassidroma marina, Less Vol. VII. PI. 61. 
612. Thalassidroma melanogaster, Gould . . Vol. VII. PL 62. 
613. Thalassidroma leucogaster, Gould . . . Vol. VII. PI. 63. 
Thalassidroma Tropica, Gould. 
Thalassidroma Tropica , Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 
vol. xiii. p. 366. 
