462 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 56. 



south to the Lobos de Tierra in the north. While it was more fre- 

 quently seen in the south, yet on one trip made in a small boat from 

 the island of Lobos de Tierra to Eten on the coast the pajaro-carneros 

 were nearly always present in numbers; often 30 or more were m 

 view at one time. One was observed devouring a fish about a foot 

 in length. 



The pajaro-carnero was never seen on land, and presumably does 

 not breed m that latitude. Native fisherman assured me that the 

 bird never aUghts (in that latitude) except upon the high sea: 

 "Paran en la altura, no mas." 



THE PETRELS. 



The family of Procellariidae is well represented on the Peruvian 

 coast, by the Wilson's petrel, stormy petrels, several species of 

 shearwaters, and the diving petrels. The "pardela" Puffinus 

 griseus Gmelin, is a sooty shearwater, frequently seen swimming 

 lazily on the surface of the water and relatively tame. I think this 

 is sometimes called "dona." Another and somewhat smaller species, 

 the "pardela tablera," was observed but not taken. 



Numbers of small petrels, the stormy petrel, Procellaria tetJiys 

 Bonaparte, the Wilson's petrel, Oceanites gracilis EUiot, and others, 

 were frequently in evidence, skimming lightly over the surface of the 

 water or hovering over a school of small fish which was being pursued 

 by bonitos. The stormy petrel is known as the danzarin or "dainty 

 dancer" — the most appropriate name possible — descriptive both of 

 its swift, graceful, swaying fhght close over the water and of its light, 

 dancing movement with feet and wings when feeding. As we went 

 by sloop from Pisco to Independencia, numbers of them followed our 

 vessel picking up the crumbs thrown into the water. The danzarin 

 seems to alight on the surface of the water, the wings stopping out- 

 spread for a moment as they follow the upward and downward 

 movement of tiie wave. A slight flirt of the wings and the bu"d is 

 resting again on the suiface only a few inches away, while it daintly 

 picks the bits of food from the water. 



PELECANOroES GARNOTI (Lesson). 

 THE DIVING PETREL OR POTOYUNCO. 



Among the petrels, one is of particular interest and importance, 

 the "potoyunco," Pelecanoides garnoti (Lesson), a diving petrel, an 

 abundant bird, and a significant guano-producer. In favored 

 locations on the islands they are breeding at all seasons and the guano 

 left in their subterninean chambers is considered particularly rich 

 in nitrogenous matter. 



My first acquaintance witli these birds was when at night in a small 

 boat we often sailed close by them floating on the surface of the water 



