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Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ... Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

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50 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM called at intervals with the usual sonorous notes of this species. The birds were observed here from November 27 to December 3. Near Lazcano, Department of Rocha, Uruguay, one was seen February 7, 1921, and near Concon, Chile, several were noted on a small slough on April 25. One harboring the old delusion that grebes possess no tails has only to watch the present species during the breeding season to be undeceived, as at that time males frequently swim about truculently with the short tail held erect, so that it is very prominent. In diving, the birds, if not frightened, often lower the fore part of the body and then sink slowly beneath the surface, turning the head about for a last view, before they finally disappear without leaving a ripple on the water. Order PROCELLARIIFORMES Family DIOMEDEIDAE DIOMEDEA MELANOPHRIS Temminck Diomedea melanophris " Boie," Temminck, Nouv. Rec. PI. Col. d'Ois., livr. 77, April, 1828, pi. 456. (Cape of Good Hope.) The black-browed albatross, common off the coast of Brazil below latitude 22° 37' S. from June 15 to 19, 1920, was observed in small numbers in the great mouth of the Rio de la Plata on June 20, below Montevideo. On January 23, 1921, I found a skull of this species cast up on the beach near La Paloma, Department of Rocha, Uruguay. Family HYDROBATIDAE MACRONECTES GIGANTEUS (Gmelin) ProceUaria gigantea Gmei.in, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 563. (Staaten Land."") On May 2, 1921, I collected the skull of a giant fulmar on the beach at Antofagasta, Chile. Like many of the other birds cast up by the waves at this place, the bird was covered with crude oil, sug- gesting that it had been killed through becoming saturated with oil floating on the sea. PUFFINUS PUFFINUS PUFFINUS (Brunnich) ProceUaria puffinus Brunnich, Oni. Bor., 17G4, p. 29. (Faroes and Norway, ) On November 7, 1920, following a heavy storm that had endured for three days, a Manx shearwater washed in on the beach 25 kilometers south of Cabo San Antonio, Province of Buenos Aires. The »^ See Mathews, Birds of Australia, vol. 2, pt. 2, July 31, 1912, pp. 184, 18G.

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 51 bird was so emaciated that the pectoral muscles were reduced to thin bands overlying the sternum, a condition due apparently to lack of food, as there was no indication of disease. The measurements of this specimen, in millimeters, are as follows : Wing, 227.5 ; tail, 71.5 culmen, 35.6; tarsus, 42,6. The feathers of wings and back are somewhat worn, while the rectrices seem to have been renewed re- cently. The specimen is of the type with blackish upper surface (differentiating it from the grayer P. p. yelkouan and P. f. mauretanicus). A shearwater of this species (subspecific form unknown) has been recorded from Iguape, on the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil,^*^ but there seems to be no previous note of occurrence for Argentina. PUFFINUS CREATOPUS Coues Pufflnus creatopus Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1864, p. 131. (San Nicholas Island, California.) Skulls of this shearwater were preserved from two mummied specimens found on the beach at Antofagasta, Chile, on May 2, 1921. PUFFINUS GRAVIS (O'Reilly) Procellaria Gravis O'Reilly, Greenland, Adj. Seas, etc., 1818, p. 140, pi. 12, fig. 1. (Cape Farewell and Staten Hook to Newfoundland.) On January 23, 1921, 1 found the dried body of a great shearwater on the beach at La Paloma, Department of Rocha, Uruguay, and secured the skull. There seems to be no other record for the occur- rence of the species in Uruguay, though it is known from the Falk- land Islands and Tierra del Fuego north into North Atlantic seas. PUFFINUS GRISEUS (Gmelin) Procellaria grisea Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 564. (New- Zealand.) A number of mummified shearwaters of this species were found on the beach at Antofagasta, Chile, on May 2, 1921, and three skulls were collected. About 9 in the evening on May 5, while the steamer was passing 12 kilometers west of the Balliesta Islands, Peru, several came on board attracted by the lights, and near the same hour on May 7, wben 16 kilometers west of Lobos Afuera Island, we encountered large numbers. On this last occasion 40 or 50 blun- dered aboard, and several hundred in the water were observed scurrying aside as the ship passed by the lights from the promenade deck. Those that came aboard fell sprawling on deck and then scuttled along, half erect, with rapid awkward steps. The obliquely placed feet, with the comparatively slight flexure of which they were susceptible, made their stride short and stilted. Some » Von Ihering, Aves do Brazil. 1907, p. 37. ;

50 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM<br />

called at intervals with the usual sonorous notes of this species.<br />

The birds were observed here from November 27 to December 3.<br />

Near Lazcano, Department of Rocha, Uruguay, one was seen February<br />

7, 1921, and near Concon, Chile, several were noted on a small<br />

slough on April 25.<br />

One harboring the old delu<strong>si</strong>on that grebes possess no tails has<br />

only to watch the present species during the breeding season to be<br />

undeceived, as at that time males frequently swim about truculently<br />

with the short tail held erect, so that it is very prominent. In diving,<br />

the birds, if not frightened, often lower the fore part of the body<br />

and then <strong>si</strong>nk slowly beneath the surface, turning the head about<br />

for a last view, before they finally disappear without leaving a ripple<br />

on the water.<br />

Order PROCELLARIIFORMES<br />

Family DIOMEDEIDAE<br />

DIOMEDEA MELANOPHRIS Temminck<br />

Diomedea melanophris " Boie," Temminck, Nouv. Rec. PI. Col. d'Ois., livr.<br />

77, April, 1828, pi. 456. (Cape of Good Hope.)<br />

The black-browed albatross, common off the coast of Brazil below<br />

latitude 22° 37' S. from June 15 to 19, 1920, was observed in small<br />

numbers in the great mouth of the Rio de la Plata on June 20, below<br />

Montevideo. On January 23, 1921, I found a skull of this species<br />

cast up on the beach near La Paloma, Department of Rocha,<br />

Uruguay.<br />

Family HYDROBATIDAE<br />

MACRONECTES GIGANTEUS (Gmelin)<br />

ProceUaria gigantea Gmei.in, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 563.<br />

(Staaten Land."")<br />

On May 2, 1921, I collected the skull of a giant fulmar on the<br />

beach at Antofagasta, Chile. Like many of the other birds cast up<br />

by the waves at this place, the bird was covered with crude oil, sug-<br />

gesting that it had been killed through becoming saturated with oil<br />

floating on the sea.<br />

PUFFINUS PUFFINUS PUFFINUS (Brunnich)<br />

ProceUaria puffinus Brunnich, Oni. Bor., 17G4, p. 29. (Faroes and Norway,<br />

)<br />

On November 7, 1920, following a heavy storm that had endured<br />

for three days, a Manx shearwater washed in on the beach 25 kilometers<br />

south of Cabo San Antonio, Province of Buenos Aires. The<br />

»^ See Mathews, Birds of Australia, vol. 2, pt. 2, July 31, 1912, pp. 184, 18G.

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