Printed on the plate
“Dusky Shearwater”
Puffinus obscurus
Engraved caption: Dusky Shearwater Puffinus obscurus
This identification is still open; the reasoning below says what would settle it. If you can, open an issue with the evidence.
Modern identification
Puffinus baroli
- Open, leaning
- Shearwaters and Petrels · Procellariidae
Why
Which small black-and-white shearwater? The figure is small and grey-brown above, with white around the eye and white underparts. That fits Barolo Shearwater, the E Atlantic bird nearest Gould's 'Mediterranean and African' range. Salvin cites the plate under P. obscurus, which included Audubon's (now Sargasso). The undertail-covert colour decides: white in Barolo, dark in Sargasso.
Sources
General List (vol. I); engraved caption; Gould's text; Sharpe, Cat. Birds BM xxv; the plate
Who made the plate
Drawn from Nature & on Stone by J. & E. Gould.Printed by C. Hullmandel.
- John Gould drew and lithographed
- Elizabeth Gould drew and lithographed
- Charles Joseph Hullmandel printed
As the credit line gives it. More on who made these plates.