I have often observed in the southern seas, a bird similar in every respect to the
Nelly, excepting in its plumage, being of a much more intense black, and its bill
rather whiter. I procured a specimen thus coloured, at Port Famine, and had
concluded that it was a distinct species, until Mr. Low, (an excellent practical
observer, long acquainted during his sealing voyages with the productions of
these seas,) assured me that he positively knew, that these black varieties were
the one-year-old birds of the common greyish black Nelly.
2 . P r o c e l l a r i a g l a c i a l o i d e s . A . Smith.
Procellaria glacialoides, A . S m ith , I llu s t. of Z ool. of S . Africa, Ave s, pl. 51.
I saw this petrel on both sides of the Continent south of lat. 30°; but seldom
more than two or three together. I am informed that it arrives in Georgia in
September for the purpose of breeding, and that it lays its eggs in holes in the
precipices overhanging tbe sea. On the approach of winter it is said to retire
from that island. My specimen was caught in the Bay of St. Mathias (lat. 43° S.)
by a line and bent pin, baited with a small piece of pork ; the same means by
which the Pintado {Dapl. Capensis) is so easily caught. It is a tame, sociable, and
silent bird ; and often settles on the water: when thus resting it might from a distance
be mistaken, owing to the general colour of its plumage, for a gull. One or
two often approached close to the stern of the Beagle, and mingled with the
Pintados, the constant attendants on vessels traversing these southern seas.
D a f t i o n C a p e n s i s . Steph.
ProceUaria Capensis, L in n . S y st. i. 213.
This petrel is extremely numerous over the whole southern ocean, south of the
Tropic of Capricorn. On the coast, however, ofPeru,Isaw them in lat. from 16° to 17°
S., which is considerably farther north than they are found on the shores of Brazil.
Cook, in sailing south in the meridian of New Zealand, first met this bird
in lat. 43° 30'. The Pintados slightly differ in some of their habits from
tlie rest of their congeners, but, perhaps, approach in this respect nearest to
P . glacialoides. They are very tame and sociable, and follow vessels navigating
these seas for many days together : when the ship is becalmed, or is moving slowly,
they often alight on the surface of the water, and in doing this they expand their
tails like a fan. I think they always take their food, when thus swimming.
When offal is thrown overboard, they frequently dive to the depth of a foot or two.
They are very apt to quarrel over their food, and they then utter many harsh but
not loud cries. Their flight is not rapid, but extremely elegant; and as these
prettily mottled birds skim the surface of the water in graceful curves, constantly
following the vessel as she drives onward in her course, they afford a spectacle
BIRDS. 141
which is beheld by every one with interest. Although often spending the whole
day on the wing, yet on a fine moonlight night, I have repeatedly seen these birds
following the wake of the vessel, with their usual graceful evolutions. I am
informed that the Pintado arrives in Georgia for the purpose of breeding, and
leaves it, at the same time with the P . glacialoides. The sealers do not know
any other island in the Antarctic ocean excepting Georgia, where these two birds
(as well as the Thalassidroma oceanica) resort to breed.
T h a l a s s i d r o m a o c e a n i c a . Botiap.
Thalassidroma oceanica, B o n a p . Jo u rn . Acad. N a t. Scien., P h ilade lphia , vol. iii. p . 233.
Procellaria oceanica, Forster.
P é tre l échasse. Temm.
I obtained this bird at Maldonado, near the mouth of the Plata, where it was
blown on shore by a gale of wind. These birds, although seeming to prefer on most
occasions the open ocean, and to be most active, walking with their wings
expanded on the crest of the waves, when the gale is heaviest, yet sometimes visit
quiet harbours, in considerable numbers. At Bahia Blanca I saw many, when
there was nothing in the weather to explain their appearance. I was informed
by a sealer, tliat they build in holes on the sea cliffs of Georgia, where they arrive
very regularly in the month of September. No other place is known to be
frequented by them for the purpose of breeding.
P r i o n v i t t a t u s . C u v .
Procellaria V itta ta , G me lin. S y st. i. 560.
1 did not procure a specimen of this bird, although I saw numbers on both
sides of the Continent from about lat. 35° S. to Cape Horn. It is a wild solitary
bird, appears always to be on the wing : flight extremely rapid. Mr. Stokes
(Assistant surveyor of the Beagle) informs me that they build in great numbers on
Landfall Island, on the west coast of Tierra del Fuego. Their burrows are about
a yard deep : they are excavated on the hill-sides, at a distance even of
half a mile from the sea shore. I f a person stamps on the ground over their
nests, many fly out of the same hole. Mr. Stokes says the eggs are white,
elongated, and of the size of those of a pigeon.
1 . L a r u s f u l i g i n o s u s . Gould.
L . 31as. corpore toto ohscurb plumheo-griseo, tegminibus caudæ superioribus inferiori-
busque pallidioribus ; rostro basi ruhro, apice nigro ; pedibus nigris.
Long. to t. 16^ unc. ; aloe, 13^ ; caudæ, 6 ; tarsi, 2 ^ ; rostri 2 |.
II
t .