22 WILSON'S PETREL. 



moved, they would never attempt to leave the burrows, and when first In-ought out, ap- 

 peared very stupid, for they could often be thrown from hand to hand like balls, without 

 flying. When one nest was being disturbed, the Petrels in neighboring burrows, of which 

 there were often eight or ten wichin a few square yards, kept uji a constant squeaking like 

 mice. At this time, the eggs wore in an advance stage of incubation, but I found fresh 

 ones on the southern end of Bryon Island, the first of July, a year later. Here Leach's 

 Petrels were nesting in barrows on the face of a sandy bank, in a similar manner to that 

 practiced by Bank Swallows. When not breeding, these Petrels are found on the open 

 ocean, running lightly over the waves, with extended wings, like other allied species. 



THALASSIDROMA wilsoni. 

 Wilson's Petrel. 

 Thalassidroma Wilsoni Bun. Syn.; 1828. 



DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp. Cn. Size, medium. F(inu, slender. Color. Adult. Dark sooty-brown throughout, becoming bUicki>h on pri- 

 maries and tail and a.shy in a line through wing.s. Upper tail coverts, basal third of under, and base of tail, white. Iris, 

 brown, bill and feet, black with webs yellow, excspting at margin. 



OBSEKVATIONS. 

 Recognized l)y the short bill, long legs, and yellow webs to feet. Distriliuted in s^unmier from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 northward, wintering ofif the Atlantic Ct)ast. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens. Length, 7'25; stretch, 13-30; wing, 5-75; tail, 550; bill, -Sfj; tarsus, 1-45. Long- 

 est specimen, 750; greatest extent of wing, IS'OS; longest wing, 6' 10; tail, 5'75; bill, "60; tarsus, 1 .50. Shortest specimen, 

 7-00; smallest extent of wing, 12-!)5; shortest wing, 5'50 tail, 5-25; bill, -50; tarsus, 1'40. 



DESCRIPTION OP NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Eyys, placed in )iurrows, one in numl^cr, elliptical in form, clialky white in color, occasionally spotted with purplish, 

 sometimes in a ring aruund hirgcr end. Dimensions from 'SOx I'lO to '85 x 1"15. 



HABITS. 

 A portion of the surface of the Magdalen Islands, is covered witli a thick growth of 

 low, scrubby spruces and hemlocks which often approach quite near the edge of the high 

 cliffs that form a large part of the coast. There was a dwarf forest of this description, on 

 the western side of Bryon Island, which grew so near the brink of ;i cliff, some two hundred 

 feet high, that there was only about twenty feet between the margin of the wood ami edge 

 of the precipice. There were, however, some smtdl, straggling spruces growing in this 

 intervening section, and under these, I was informed, Wilson's Petrels, or Long-legged 

 Mother Ciiry's Chickens as they were there called, made their burrows. I visited the place 

 repeatedly in search of their nests, but although I could perceive the unmistakable odor of 

 Petrels, I was iidt fortunate <niough to find a hole. It is probable that I w;is too early 

 and that the burrows were not dug until later, tilthough it was the first week in July, when 

 I made the last search. I found these birds very abundant in the neighboring waters of 

 the Gulf, feeding on floating garbage. They were very tame, often coming so near the 

 boats, that several were killed with oars. I have also met with this species off the coast 

 in winter. 



THALASSIROMA PELAGICA. 



Stormy Petrel. 



Thalassidroma pela(/ica\'iG., Zool. Jour., II; 18'25, 405. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si'. Cn. Form, slender. Size, small. Color. Adult. Dusky-brown throughout, lighter beneath. Band on rump, 

 ba.se of upper and under tail coverts and tail, axiUaries, and some under wing coverts, white. Iris, brown, bill and feet, 

 black. 



