WILSON^S PETREL. 63 



pause of some minutes might ensue before she recommenced 

 her cry and permitted another sHght advance to be effected. 

 In the course of this gradual approach the position of the 

 bird might be ascertained approximately ; but it had to be 

 determined precisely ; and to learn exactly where she was, 

 she had to be stalked in the dark noiselessly. No gleam 

 could be permitted to escape from the lantern. Loose stones 

 and falls over rocks — to avoid them it was sometimes neces- 

 sary to dispense with slippers, and feel one's way in stockings 

 only ; for should the Petrel be alarmed once with the noise 

 or the light, she would probably remain silent a considerable 

 time. Now and then it would happen that upon the boulder 

 beneath which she was sitting being almost attained the 

 bird would cease calling. When this occurred, and many 

 minutes elapsed without her cry being resumed, it was 

 advisable to make a detour and approach the rock from the 

 opposite side, as her silence might be attributed to her seeing 

 a person advancing towards her, and she would probably 

 recommence her call so soon as he was out of sight. If she 

 did not, a small pebble thrown amongst the rocks would 

 usually elicit some sounds from her, as she would most 

 likely conclude that the noise was being made by her mate 

 returning to the nest. When the stone beneath which the 

 bird was domiciled was gained at last, redoubled care had to 

 be exercised. By stooping down and listening very atten- 

 tively her position could be accurately ascertained. Then 

 the lantern was suddenly turned upon her before she had 

 time to creep out of sight, and her egg could be secured with 

 the hand, or with a spoon tied on to a stick. Sometimes I 

 worked without a lantern, and marked the positions of the 

 nests with piles of stones, so that they might be revisited by 

 day. Several eggs were obtained in February from nests 

 which had been thus marked early in the previous month. 

 The first egg taken by us was found by a retriever on the 

 22ud of January, on an island in Swain's Bay. Captain 

 Fairfax sent me a nestling a day or two before we sailed for 

 the Cape. Two of the eggs were laid in unusual situations : 

 one of them was found by a man under a Prinf/lea plant ; 



