AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER. 39 



that come from tlio son, toln' uiournfu], unless indeei], one is inclined to regard all of the 

 .similar sounds produced bj Nature, as mournful. 



We found the Pindicos, as Audubon's Shearwater is called throughout the Bahamas, 

 conmion during tlie fust week in April, on a group of little, rocky islets, known as the 

 Washerwoman Keys, that lie just to the eastward of tiie southern end of Andros Island. 

 At this time, nearly all of tlie nests were occupied l>y young birds which were, when very 

 small, accompanied b\- the adult bird, hut when two or three days tdd were alone. The 

 young birds wlien (iist discovered would lie close to the ground iu oi'der to make them- 

 selves less conspicuovis, l)ut upon being removed from the nest woidd soon lose all fear 

 and sit upright on their tai-si. Strangely enough, when taken in the hand they ap- 

 pear to be afraid of filling. In progressing along a level surfice they use their feet, 

 wings and Ijcak. kSome of the yourg were at least half grown when we found them, and 

 "\ve endeavored to rear them, feeding them on bits of meat and li.sh, but in spite of every 

 care they died one after the other, none surviving over a week after capture. Although 

 enabled to stand niore cold than the young of Cory's Gannet, or probably the young of 

 any of the Tropical Gannets, they are as susceptil)le to the heat as are the nestlings of 

 these species; one that was accidentally exposed to the sun, about noon, died in a few 

 moments. These young Shearwaters have a pretty, (juavering note which strongly re- 

 sembles that of a young Turkey. 



Audubon's Shearwaters feed in blue water, rpiite olf soundings, and remain there dur- 

 r.ig the day, either sitting on the water or Hying low down over it, and when on the 

 wing move swiftly. I have never ncen them dive when tlying, thus judge they take their 

 prey when swinuning, either on the surface of the water or beneath it. In addition to 

 the food iilready mentioned, I also found the jaws of a small species of squid in their 

 .stomachs. 



These Shearwaters appear to be generally distributed throughout the West Indies, 

 -but are iconfined to particular islands when breeding. Thus I have found them on Green 

 Key near New Providence, but not on the Green Key that lies to the eastward of the 

 .southern extremity of the Tongue of Ocean, directly on the edge of the bank, and in fact, 

 so clo.se is this island to blue water, that one finds himself olfsoundings when within fif- 

 1y yards of the west end: yet they breed on the Washerwomen, that are similarly situa- 

 ted on the ojipo.site side of the Tongue of Ocean. Imt a little to the southward. They do 

 not nest on Andros, but we found them on the Ship Channel Keys, near the open At- 

 ^1 uitlc. I have looked in vain fir tlie Pimlicos on Rum Key, Watlings, Long Island, and 

 "Inagiin, of the 15 ilianias, also on the two northern of the ('aynians, nor could I learn 

 fnnu the inhabitants that they ever occurred on any of these islands. When breeding, 

 ■t'use Shearwaters do not wander far from their nesting places, and hi coming north in 

 .June, we did not see iheiu long after losing sight of Abaco, the last ones being about thir- 

 ty miles fi'oiu l::iid. 



Beyond all <loul)t, Andulion's Shearwaters leave the Bahamas in winter, as T did not 

 i^ee them during a trip from Great Bahama to Nassau, that carried me directly across 

 x)ne of their feeding grouinls. .Nor did I find them on the Tongue of Ocean, another of 

 Iheir summer resorts, in Decembei', nor about the Ship Channel Keys m January. 



