STORMY PETREL. 441 



extended up into the mainland like Norwegian fjords. Such was the home 

 of the Stormy Petrel ; but at first Ave did not suspect the existence of these 

 birds on the island. The natives (with whom we were oljligcd to converse 

 through our '' buttons/' a young Celt who accompanied us to do the dirty 

 work) continually assured us that we should soon be able to add the dainty 

 dish of fried " Blasquet Chickens '' to our modest menu ; but it was not 

 until the 11th of September that they were able to produce these wonderful 

 birds, which proved to be young Stormy Petrels, as large almost as their 

 parents, but half feathers half down. Cooked on toast like Snipe, we 

 found them delicious eating, very rich, but not at all fishy. As soon as we 

 discovered that we were encamped in the midst of a colony of these inter- 

 esting birds we commenced a diligent search, and soon found plenty 

 of young, besides catching a few old birds which were still sitting on 

 unhatched eggs. The nests, which seldom consisted of more than a dozen 

 blades of dead grass, were placed in holes in the rocks or the rough walls 

 put up to protect the little potato-patches from the sheep. We could often 

 detect their presence in the evening by the faint cry of the young bird 

 clamouring for food, and in places where the loose stones had been piled 

 into heaps we found that the removal of half of them often disclosed 

 several nests to view. 



On the 17th of September I took the boat and crossed over to the 

 adjoining island of Inislmubro^ and found many young Petrels and a few 

 still unhatched eggs. On this island the nests were principally on the steep 

 grassy slopes in old rabbit-burrows. We never by any chance saw a 

 Stormy Petrel on the wing during the day; but when the nights became 

 enlivened by moonlight we could see them flying about like Bats, bringing 

 food to their young. So far as we were able to judge, this was entirely oil. 

 As soon as the young bird was taken in the hand it disgorged a few drops 

 of amber-coloured oil, and in none did we find any solid matter in the 

 stomach. 



One egg only is laid, rough in texture and without any gloss. When 

 fresh laid it is nearly white, but soon acquires a creamy tint from contact 

 with the greasy feathers of the bird. The eggs are almost always thinly 

 sprinkled with minute reddish-brown specks, and not unfrequently there is 

 an obscure zone of specks round the larger end, occasionally round the small 

 end. They are scarcely more pointed at one end than at the other, and 

 vary in length from 1-2 to 1*0 inch, and in breadth from '86 to '8 inch. 

 They cannot easily be confused with the eggs of any other British bird ; 

 those of the Bee-eater, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the Dipper are 

 about the same size, but may be distinguished in a moment by their glossy 

 smooth shells. 



The completely webbed foot of the Stormy Petrel is remarkable in a bird 

 which appears so seldom to swim, and the spots on the eggs, minute though 



VOL. in. 3 G 



