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Show 736 MR. o. S A L V I N O N T H E PROCELLARIIDAE [June 18, stomachs were filled with a yellow oil, and mixed with it some pieces of Crustacea." I am strongly disposed to add to the above synonyms Thalassidroma gracilis, Elliot, Ibis, 1859, p. 391, and T segethi, Phil. & Landb. Arch. f. Naturg. 1860, p. 282, names admitted by many authors to apply both of them to a species found on the Chilian coast. I have seen specimens of the present species in the Pans Museum from the same locality ; and the Challenger specimens now before me were obtained at sea at no great distance from the same shore ; so that on geographical grounds their identity is a reasonable supposition. The chief, if not the only discrepancy I can find between the description of F. gracilis and F. grallaria is one of dimensions, the former being considerably smaller (as shown by Mr. Elliot's measurements) than the ' Challenger' birds. Thus we have :- Wing. Tarsus. Tail. in. in. in. F. gracilis 5*22 2*40 1*20 F. grallaria .... 5*9-6*3 2*9-3*0 1*3-1*4 T. segethi seems to be intermediate in dimensions ; but so far as the description goes, its identity with F. grallaria is obvious. Mr. Sharpe (Zool. Kerg., Aves, p. 31) suggests that P. leucogastra may prove to be a stage of plumage of P. melanogaster ; but I cannot think that this will ever turn out to be the case. FREGETTA MELANOGASTRA. Thalassidroma melanogastra, Gould, Ann. & Mag. N. II. xiii. p. 367, et B. Austr. vii. pl. 62. a. Betsy Cove, Kerguelen. Mr. Sharpe (Zool. Kerg., Aves, p. 30) unites T. tropica, Gould, with this bird, and calls it by the last-mentioned name. They may be identical ; but in any case the adoption of the name tropica in place oi melanogastra cannot be justified, as the latter, having been in use for over thirty years, ought not to be supplanted by the former, the two having been published simultaneously on opposite pages of the same publication ! PELAGODROMA MARINA. Procellaria marina, Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 410. Pelagodroma marina, Salv. Orn. Misc. ii. p. 228. a-c. Nightingale Island. •*•* Eyes black ; a night-bird. These were taken out of holes in the ground during the day by help of the dogs." THALASSOSCA GLACIALOIDES. Procellaria glacialoides, Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. pl. 51. Thalassasca glacialoides, Coues, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 30. a. Male. Ice Barrier. "Obtained on the 26th February, 1874." |