272 BIRDS OF BEEMUDA. 



Family PROCELLARIID^. 

 Sub-family PEOOELLAEIIN^. 

 Genus Oceanites, Keys. & Bias. 

 179. Oceanites oceanicus*, Kuhl. Wilson's PetreL 



Procellaria pelagica, Wils. 

 Procellaria oceanica, Kulil. 

 Procellaria tvilsoni, Bp. 

 Tlialassidroma ivilsoni, Bp., Nutt., Aud. 

 Thalassidroma oceanica (Kulil.), Scliinz. 

 Oceanites wilsoni (Bp.), Keys. & Bias. 

 Oceaiiites oceanica (Kulil.), Bp. 

 Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl.), Salv. 



Length, 7 j wing, 5.75 ; tail, 3 ; tarsus, 1.3 ; bill, .65. 



Sal). — On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and in the Indian Ocean, 

 from the coasts of Korth America and those of the British Isles down 

 to Kerguelen Land and South Australia, and is by no means uncommon 

 on the ocean off the Azores. (Dresser.) 



Colonel Wedderburn says : "I have often seen these birds flying about 

 near the North Eock, and once or twice inside the outer reefs in stormy 

 weather, but never succeeded in shooting any of them." One was shot 

 by Mr. Harford, Fifty-sixth Eegiment, some distance from the shore, on 

 the 30th June, 1853. Mr. Bartram's collection contains a specimen, con- 

 cerning which he writes as follows : " Wilson's Petrel is not such a rara 

 avis around the islands as you may be led to think through reading the 

 Naturalist in Bermuda. In May, June, and July there are numbers to 

 be found around the fishing boats a mile or two outside -the castle ; some 

 days there are ten or twelve flying round, other days none at all. The 

 one that I have was caught by Mr. John Swainson, on St. Catherine's 

 Flat; he was fishing and three or four were flying round the boat and 

 he kept washing in bait ; this one came so close that he grabbed it in 

 his hand. At another time it was blowing a strong gale from the north- 

 west, and I saw four so close up to the north shore that the boys threw 

 stones at them. I could have shot them, but if I had I could not have 

 got them." I am not aware that this species has ever been found breed- 

 ing in Bermuda. I searched in vain for nests, but should not be sur- 

 prised to hear of them being discovered there some day or other, as the 

 sandy cliffs and debris on the south shore are most suitable for them. 



* In a letter dated 9th December, 1878, Mr. Bartram informs me that twelve of these 

 Petrels were seen flying ahout the inside of the Flats Harbor in the middle of October, 



1878(S.G.E). 



