322 THE STORM PETREL. 



Mr. Gray, writing of the effects of the storm of the 1 4th 

 of October 1881/ on bird-life in the Firth of Forth, after 

 alluding to the various sea-fowl which had been driven by 

 the violence of the hurricane to take shelter near the coasts, 

 says : " Simultaneously there appeared large numbers of 

 Storm Petrels, many of which were blown some distance 

 inland, where they were captured — records of the birds 

 having been caught or otherwise dispersed having reached 

 me from Dunbar and the Lammermuirs. The main body, 

 however, remained in the Firth eight or ten days, during 

 which time the birds frequented for the most part the lee 

 side of Inchkeith, quite near to the anchored ships that had 

 been forced there for shelter. A lesson, indeed, might have 

 been derived from their presence by the captains of ocean- 

 going steamers, several of whom, impatient of delay, had set 

 sail — in some cases oftener than once — only, however, to re- 

 turn, partially disabled, to their former anchorage. The Petrel, 

 actuated no doubt by an unerring instinct, wisely remained 

 under shelter ; and I would venture to say that in any 

 future case, when these birds are seen under such circum- 

 stances, much expense might be saved by masters of wind- 

 bound vessels if they quietly remained at their anchorage 

 until the Petrels let them know when it was time to leave. 

 I commend this observation to my friend Mr. Buchan, the 

 excellent Secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society, as 



^ During this terrible and disastrous storm, when the sea, lashed into unpre- 

 cedented fury by tlie hurricane, overwhelmed upwards of one hundred and fifty 

 fishermen, with their boats, from the villages on the sea-coast of Berwicksliire, the 

 Storm Petrel was seen at various places along the shore. Mr. Campbell-Noble of 

 Coldingham has informed me that during the height of the tempest a boat, belong- 

 ing to Alexander Wilson of Coldingham Shore, was driven with some others round 

 by St. Abb's Head. When the boat was in momentary peril of being dashed to 

 pieces on the rocks as it was rounding the most dangerous part of the Head, and 

 the men were lying on the deck with their arms through the bulwarks, a "half- 

 lang " lad, named Thomas Wilson (John's Tarn), stretching out his legs, touched 

 one of the men, and said, "Geordie! yonder's a Stormy Petrel!" The man, 

 apparently looking upon this remark as most untimely, was heard to reply, 

 " Stormy Petrel ! If I could get at ye, I would Stormy Petrel ye." 



