546 THE FEVTHERED TRIBES. 



A home, if bueh a pUico may be, 



For her who lives on the wide, wiile sea — 



On the craggy ice, in the frozen air. 



And only sceketh her roeky luir 



To warm her young, iind tcaeh them to spring 



At onee o"or the waves on their stormy wing .' 



" O'er tlie deep ! o'er tlic dei|i ! 

 AVlicre the whale, and I lie shark, and swcnvMisli sleep. 

 OutHving the blast and tlie driving rain. 

 Tlie Vctrel telleth her (aU' in vain ; 

 For the mariner tur.seth the warning biid, 

 Wlio bringeth him news of the storm unheard I 

 .\h I thus docs the propliet, of good or ill, 

 Meet Initc from the ereafures he &erveth still : 

 Yet /((• ne'er falters :— so. Petrel, spring 

 Onee more o'er the waves on thy stormy \\ ing !" 



The whole of the lainily of the petrols are characterised by the streugth aud expansivc- 

 uess of their wings, with the aid of which they traverse immeasurable tracts of the ocean 

 ill .search of food, and support thtir flight at considerable distances from land, seldom 

 having recourse to their power of swimming. 



