THE BIRD BOOK 





Least Petrel 



Stormy Petrel 



Forked-tailed Petrel 



103. Least Petrel. Halocyptena microsome,. 



Range. — Pacific coast of America from Lower 

 California to Panama. The Least Petrel is the 

 smallest of this family, in length measuring only 

 5.75 inches. Their plumage is entirely dark 

 sooty. They have been found breeding on San 

 Benito Island, Lower California, and they prob- 

 ably do on others farther south. The single 2gg 

 that this bird lays is white with a wreath of fine 

 black specks around one and sometimes both 

 ends. Data. — San Benito Is., Lower California, 

 June 12, 1897. No nest, the egg being simply 

 laid on the bare rock in a crevice. Size 1.00 

 x .75. Collector, A. W. Anthony. 



104-. Storm Petrel. Thalassidroma pela- 



North Atlantic Ocean chiefly on the European 

 side, wintering south to New Brunswick. Small- 

 est of the white rumped, black petrels; 5.75 

 inches in length. 



This species is the orig- 

 inally called "Mother 

 Cary's Chicken'" by the 

 sailors. They nest abund- 

 antly on many of the is- 

 lands off the coasts of 

 Europe and the British 

 Isles, laying their single wmte 



egg either in burrows or crevices among the cliffs. 

 Data. — Coast of County Kerry, Ireland, June 1, 

 1895. Single egg laid at the end of burrow in a 

 sea cliff. Size 1.05 x. SO; white with a wreath of 

 very fine dots about the larger end. Collector, 

 G. H. McDonald. 



105. Forked-tailed Petrel. Oceanodroma furcata. 



Range. North Pacific from California to Alaska, breeding in the Aleutians. 



These birds have a plumage of bluish gray, the wings being darker and the 

 underparts lightest. The nests are made in burrows or crevices in the banks. 

 Data— Uniak Is., Alaska, June 10, 1900. No nest. Single egg laid at the 

 end of a burrow. Several pairs nesting near. Egg white with a fine wreath 

 of purplish black specks about the large end. Size 1.25 x .95. 



