Wilson's stormy petrel. 325 



depth of a foot or more. They also commonly employ the 

 holes and cavities of rocks near the sea for this purpose. 

 The eggs, according to Mr. Audubon, are 3, white and 

 translucent. After the period of incubation they return to 

 feed their young only during the night, with the oily food 

 which they raise from their stomachs. At these times they 

 are heard through most part of the night, making a con- 

 tinued cluttering sound like frogs. In June and July, or 

 about the time that they breed, they are still seen out at sea 

 for scores of leagues from the land, the swiftness of their 

 flight allowing them daily to make these vast excursions in 

 quest of their ordinary prey ; and hence, besides their sus- 

 picious appearance in braving storms, as if aided by the 

 dark Ruler of the Air, they breed, according to the vulgar 

 opinion of sailors, like no other honest bird, for taking no 

 time for the purpose on land, they merely hatch their egg 

 under their wings, as they sit on the water ! 



The food of this species, according to Wilson, appears to 

 consist, as he says, of the gelatinous spora of the Gulf- 

 weed (Fucus natans) as well as small fish, barnacles, and 

 probably many small mollusca. Their flesh is rank, oily, 

 and unpleasant to the taste. Their food is even converted 

 into oil by the digestive process, and they abound with it to 

 such a degree, that, according to Brunnich, the inhabitants 

 of the Fero Isles make their carcases to serve the purpose 

 of a candle, by drawing a wick through the mouth and 

 rump, which being lighted, the flame is for a considerable 

 time supported by the fat and oil of the body. 



Wilson's Petrel is about 6| inches in length ; the alar extent being " 

 about 13^. The bill black. Head, back, and lower parts brownish- 

 black. Greater wing coverts pale brown, minutely tipped with 

 white. Sides of the vent and whole tail coverts pure white. Wings 

 and tail black, the latter nearly even at the tip, or but slightly 

 forked : (in some specimens 2 or 3 of the exterior tail feathers are 

 28 



