192 B11ITI8H BIRDS' NESTS. 



PETREL, LEACH'S FORK-TAILED. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 seven and a quarter inches. Bill of meclimn length, 

 nearly straight, and black. Irides dark brown. 

 Head, neck, and back brownish-black, the tw^o 

 former rather lighter in shade than the latter. 

 Wing-coverts reddish-brown, tinged with grey on 

 the edges ; quills black. Upper tail-coverts white ; 

 tail-quills black and slightly forked ; breast, belly, 

 vent, and under tail-coverts, in the middle, black. 

 A white streak starts from behind each thigh and 

 runs down the sides of the vent and under tail- 

 coverts. Legs, toes, webs, and claws black. 



The female is like the male. 



Situation and Localitjj. — In burrows made in 

 soft peat earth, under rocks, holes, fissures, and 

 clefts in rocks, and in holes of walls, close to the 

 sea ; on rocky islands, such as tlie St. Kilda group, 

 Hebrides, and some of those off the Irish Coast. 



Materials. — Dry grass and bits of moss, some- 

 times nothing whatever. 



Ecjg. — One ; white, chalky, and speckled round 

 the larger end with small rust-coloured and greyish- 

 brown spots. Size about 1"3 by "96 in. 



Time. — June. 



BemarlxS. — Eesident, but w^andering. Notes : 

 peivr-ivit, luucr-icit, said to be uttered by the birds 

 as they sit on their nests, also both night and 

 day. Local and other names : Leach's Petrel, 

 Fork-tailed Storm Petrel, Fork-tailed Petrel. Gre- 

 garious, and a very close sitter. 



