266 SWIMMERS. 



flock of birds to the soundings of the Azores, and until we 

 came in sight of the Isle of Flores. 



According to Buffon, the Petrel acquires its name from the 

 Apostle Peter, who, as well as his Master, is said to have walked 

 upon the water. At times we hear from these otherwise silent 

 birds by day, a low weet, weet, and in their craving anxiety ap- 

 parently to obtain something from us, they utter a low, twitter- 

 ing 'pe-iip, or chirp. In the night, when disturbed by the passage 

 of the vessel, they rise m a low, vague, and hurried flight from 

 the water, and utter a singular guttural chattering like kuk kuk 

 k'k, k'k, or something similar, ending usually in a sort of low 

 twitter like that of a Swallow. 



These Petrels are said to breed in great numbers on the 

 rocky shores of the Bahama and the Bermuda Islands and 

 along some parts of the coast of East Florida and Cuba. Mr. 

 Audubon informs me that they also breed in large flocks on 

 the mud and sand islands off Cape Sable m Nova Scotia, bur- 

 rowing downwards from the surface to the 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 three, white and translucent. After the 

 period of incubation they return to feed their young, only dur- 

 ing 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 continued 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 suspicious 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 of the gelatinous spora of the gulf- weed {Fiicus na- 

 tans), as well as small fish, barnacles, and probably many 



