PROCELLARIID.E — THE PETRELS — PROCELLARIA. 405 



the Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also resident on and about 

 the coast of Northwestern Africa — breeding on rocky islets on the coast of Algeria, 

 where Major Locke found it nesting from the beginning of May till September, and 

 where young birds were found from the end of May until October. It has also been 

 taken on the Canaries, at Madeira, at Fautee in Walfisch Bay, and in other places 

 on the southwest coast of Africa. 



Mr. George A. Boardman informs me that this species occurs during the latter 

 part of the summer — more especially in August — off the coast of Eastern jVIaine, 

 Southern Kew Brunswick, and along the entire Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. It is 

 also found off the coast of Newfoundland at the same time. Audubon mentions 

 that in August, 1830, when becalmed on the Banks of Newfoundland, he obtained 

 several individuals of this species. In their general manner, while feeding and 

 moving around his boat, he noticed no points in which they differed from the 

 Wilson's and the Leach's Petrels, in whose company he found them. 



We learn from an interesting sketch given by jMr. Hewitson, in his British Ool- 

 ogy, that on an excursion through the Shetland Islands he found this bird breeding 

 on several of the small islets in the Bay of Scalloway. These he visited on the 31st 

 of ^lay, in hopes of finding the eggs ; but in this he was disappointed. The " Swal- 

 lows," as the fishermen called them, had not yet "come up from the sea." June 16, 

 and the three following days, he was at Foxla, but was then equally unsuccessful. 

 The birds had arrived, although they had not yet begun laying their eggs ; but num- 

 bers were already in their holes, and were easily caught ; and two of them were kept 

 alive in his room for several days. During the day they were mostly inactive ; and 

 after pacing about the floor, and poking their heads into every hole, they hid them- 

 selves between the feet of the table and the wall. He could not prevail upon them 

 to eat anything. Their manner of walking is described as being graceful and easy, 

 but differing from that of every other bird he had seen — this Petrel carrying its 

 body so far forward and so nearly in a straight line, as to have the appearance of 

 being out of equilibrium. In the evening, toward sunset, the captives left their hiding 

 place, and for hours never ceased in their endeavors to regain their liberty — flying 

 round tlie room, or fluttering against the windows. In flying, their length of Aving 

 and white rumps gave them the appearance of the European House IMartin. 



On the 30th of June ]Mr. Hewitson again visited Oxna, and found these birds only 

 just beginning to lay. In Foxla they were breeding in the holes in the cliffs, at a great 

 height above the sea. In Oxna, they go down under the stones with which the beach 

 is lined, to a distance of three or four feet, or more, according to the depth to which 

 the stones are sunk, and beneath these they deposit their eggs. On Avalking over the 

 surface he could hear the birds very distinctly singing, in a sort of warbling chatter 

 a good deal like that of Swallows, but in a harsher tone. By listening attentively 

 he was readily guided to their retreats ; and by lifting out the stones he seldom 

 failed of capturing the birds on their nests. These latter were constructed of much 

 the same material as that of the ground on which they were placed, and seemed to 

 have been made with care ; small bits of stalks of plants and pieces of hard dry earth 

 were chiefly used. This Petrel never lays more than one egg. During the daytime 

 these birds remain within their holes, and are then seldom heard. Toward night they 

 become extremely querulous, and issue forth in great numbers, spreading far over 

 the surface of the sea, and surround the fishermen, who attract them by throwing 

 bits of fish overboard. The egg is described as measuring 1.13 inches in length and 

 .80 in breadth, and as being of nearly the same size at both ends, thick-shelled, pure 

 white, with numerous minute dots of dull red at the larger end, in a circular band. 



