THE STORMY PETREL, 108 



louth as Cape Antonio, the westernmost extremity tf Cub*. 

 On entering the Gulf Stream, and passing along the coasts 

 of Florida and the Carolinas, these birds made' their appear- 

 ance in great numbers, and in all weathers, contributin.2 

 much by their sprightly evolutions of wing to enliven the 

 scene, and affording me every day several hours of amuse- 

 ment. It is indeed an interesting sight to observe these little 

 birds in a gale, coursing over the waves, down the declivities, 

 up the ascents of the foaming surf that threatens to burst 

 0V3r their heads, sweeping along the hollow troughs of th^ 

 sea as in a sheltered valley, and again mounting with the 

 rising billow, and just above its surface occasionally dropping 

 Its feet, which, striking the water, throw it up again with 

 additional force ; sometimes leaping, with both legs parallel, 

 on the surface of the roughest waves for several yards at a 

 time. Meanwhile it continues coursing from side to side 

 of the ship's wake, making excursions far and wide, to the 

 right and to the left, now a great way ahead, and now 

 shooting astern for several hundred yards, returning again 

 to the ship as if she were all the while stationary, though 

 perhaps running at the rate of ten knots an hour ! But the 

 most singular peculiarity of this bird is its faculty of stand- 

 ing, and even running, on the surface of the water, which 

 it performs with apparent facility. When any greasy matter 

 is thrown overboard, these birds instantly collect around it, 

 and, facing to windward, with their long wings expanded, 

 and their webbed feet patting the water, the lightness of 



