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Show 130 ON BIRDS FROM THE SAMOAN ISLANDS. [Feb. 4, 4. FREGETTA MCESTISSIMA, sp. n. Omnino fuliginoso-nigrescens, alls et cauda nigricantioribus; alls longissimis, cauda valde furcata ; rectricibus latissimis tarsis elongatis; digiiis fere eequalibus, phalangibus proxi-mis complanatis. Long, tota 9*5, alee 9*1, caudee rectr. med. 3*2, lat. 4*2, tarsi 1*9, dig. med. cum ungue 1*3, rostri a rictu 0*9. Hab. Samoan Islands (T. Powell). Obs. Species F. melanogastree congenerica, sed ab omnibus ves-titu unicolori nigrescente distinguenda. In the 'Proceedings' of last year (P. Z. S. 1877, p. 722) Dr. Finsch described a Petrel under the name of Procellaria albogularis from the Fiji Islands, which is evidently a near ally of the present bird. This bird, however, differs in having the chin, belly, and upper tail-coverts white, and in some other respects. Of Dr. Finsch's bird I have before m e a specimen obtained in Aneiteum, N e w Hebrides, as long ago as January 1860, I believe by the late John Macgillivray. Curiously enough, it bears the M S . name albogularis, selected for it by Dr. Finsch seventeen years subsequently. The native name given in Aneiteum to this bird is " Nichitterin," as the label records. A similar specimen is in the British Museum, and another in the Leyden Museum. In both places the birds are referred to Procel-aria tropica, Gould ; and all references to P. tropica from the Pacific Ocean apply to it. But Fregetta albogularis is considerably larger than P. tropica, and has a more deeply forked tad than that bird, besides the tail-feathers themselves being much wider. It is doubtful whether P. tropica, the original specimens of which were obtained by Mr. Gould himself in the Atlantic Ocean, is really separable from F. melanogastra. Mr. Sharpe has already united them under the former name (Trans.-Venus Exp. Birds, p. 30.) The following references relate to Dr. Finsch's Procellaria albogularis :- Procellaria tropica, Bp. C. R. xii. p. 4 (nee Gould). Fregetta tropica, Bp. Consp. ii. p. 197 (nee Gould). Procellaria tropica, Schl. Mus. P. B., Procelt. p. 4. Fregetta tropica, Coues, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1864, p. 85 (? partim). *' Procellaria torquata, Macgill.," G. R. Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 104 (nee Macgill.!). Thalassidroma albogularis, Macgill. M S . Procellaria albogularis, Finsch (mot. prop.!), P. Z. S. 1877, p. 722. Oceanites tropica, Sharpe, Trans.-Venus Exp. p. 30 (partim). The native name of Fregetta mcestissima in Samoa is Seu-ta-peau ; and of its habits Mr. Powell says : - " They often float on the sea in great numbers. They inhabit all the islands of the group, but are most abundant on Manua. They sleep in holes under the trunks of trees at an elevation of 2500 feet, whence they are taken with dogs, which scent them. They are easily extracted from their holes." |