PROCELLARlIDiE. 



729 



LEACH'S FORK-TAILED PETREL. 



OCEANODROMA LEUCORRHOA (VieiUot). 



This species was first made known as a British bird by Bullock, 

 who obtained it at St. Kilda in 1818. Subsequently it has often 

 been noticed within our waters, and it is no\v met with almost 

 annually on the east coast of England, as well as in Wales. It also 

 occurs inland, especially after northerly and westerly autumnal gales, 

 from which fact Mr. Cordeaux infers that birds are driven right 

 across the country. Off Cornwall it is quite as common in some 

 winters as the Storm-Petrel, and it may be said to have been taken 

 in almost every maritime county of Great Britain ; while unusual 

 numbers were noticed on the Scottish coast in the autumn of 1891 

 (W, Evans). In 1847 it was found breeding in the St. Kilda 

 group, and later investigations have shown that further colonies 

 exist on North Rona and several islands in the Outer Hebrides ; 

 while ere long the species will probably be found incubating on 

 some of the Inner islands. In Ireland it has frequently occurred, 

 notably in September and October of 1891 ; and in 1886 its 

 egg was obtained by Mr. R. J. Ussher from Tearaght, one of the 

 Blasquets, off co. Kerry, the most western land (with the exception 

 of Iceland) belonging to Europe, and birds were subsequently 

 procured there as well as eggs. 



Leach's Petrel has wandered to the coast of Norway ; but it has 

 only been met with on three occasions and at long intervals on 



