Page:The birds of America, volume 7.djvu/293

Rh found fishes, portions of crabs, sea-weeds, and oily substances. It does not appear that this species goes far north, as was formerly supposed; for none of the late northern voyagers mention having seen it, although they found the Fulmar abundant.

Pcffinus cinereus, Bonap. Syn., p. 370.

Cinereous Puffin, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 334.

Wandering Shearwater, Puffinus cinereus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 555. Male, 20, 45.

Common off the shores, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to that of Mexico. Abundant off Nova Scotia. Ranges to a great distance at sea in autumn and winter.

Adult Male.

Bill about the same length as the head, rather slender, nearly as deep as broad at the base, compressed towards the end, slightly curved upwards, with the tips decurved. Upper mandible with a cere at the base extending narrow to the nostrils, which are placed above, each covered with a lateral convex plate, and open anteriorly, with an elliptical aperture; the dorsal line as far as the nostrils nearly straight, then suddenly deflected, after which it is slightly concave, but towards the tip incurved, the ridge very broad and convex at the base, narrower beyond the nostrils, from which a groove pro- ceeds obliquely to the commencement of the hooked tip; the sides convex and nearly erect, the edges sharp. Lower mandible with the angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line beyond it, decurved, the sides sloping out- wards, the edges sharp and inflected, the curved tip grooved above.

Head rather large, oblong, rather compressed. Neck short and stout.

Body moderate, deeper than broad. Wings long. Feet rather large; tibia bare for a short space below; tarsus of moderate length, compressed, covered all round with angular scales, the hind ones much smaller; hind toe obsolete, but- with a small conical deflected claw; fore toes long, slender, connected by reticulated webs, the lateral ones with thin edges; outer toe slightly longer than the third, but with a shorter claw, the first considerably shorter; toes scutellate above; claws arched, compressed, acute, that of third toe with an enlarged sharp edge.

Plumage soft, close, blended; on the back compact, the feathers rounded. Wings very long, pointed; primary quills tapering, the first longest, the second considerably shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, broad, obliquely rounded, the inner not elongated. Tail of moderate length, graduated, of twelve rounded feathers.

Bill yellowish-green, the tips brownish-black, tinged with green. Edges