Slender-billed Fulmar


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Birds of America

By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

VOLUME VII.

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Family

SLENDER-BILLED FULMAR.
[Slender-billed Shearwater.]

PROCELLARIA TENUIROSTRIS Aud.
[Puffinus tenuirostris.]

(NOT FIGURED.)

This species agrees in general with the last described; but its bill is much more elongated, comparatively slender, and with the nasal case, half of the unguis of the upper mandible, and the tip of the lower, black. The outline of the nasal case is a little concave, and its ridge is somewhat carinate. Whether this individual be of another species, or of the same, having an accidentally elongated bill, cannot perhaps be determined without a series of specimens; but it is probably a true species, as neither of the other two have the bill black in any part or at any period. Supposing it to be distinct, I have named it the Slender-billed Fulmar, Procellaria tenuirostris.

The following note from Mr. TOWNSEND was appended to this specimen:-- "Within a day's sail from the mouth of the Columbia river. Its habits are very similar to those of Procellaria capensis, keeping constantly around the vessel, and frequently alighting in her wake for the purpose of feeding. They are easily taken with a hook baited with pork, and at times, particularly during a gale, they are so tame as almost to allow themselves to be taken with the hand. The stomachs of most of those that I captured were found to contain a species of sepia and grease."

Length to end of tail 18 1/2 inches; bill along the ridge 2 1/12; nasal case 7/12; wing from flexure 13; tail 5; tarsus 1 10/12; hind toe 1/12, its claw 3/12; outer toe 2 3/12, its claw (4 1/2)/12.

SLENDER-BILLED FULMAR, Procellaria tenuirostris, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v.p. 333

Length, 18 1/2; wing, 13; tail, 5; bill, 2 1/12.

Off the Columbia river. Common.

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