518 hAHlDJE. 



Scotia, and called Mud Islands, but which are formed of sand 

 and light earth, scantily covered with grass. Thither the 

 birds resort in great numbers, about the beginning of June, 

 and form burrows to the depth of two, or two and a half feet, 

 in the bottom of which is laid a single white ee-ff ; a few bits 

 of dried grass, scarcely deserving the name of a nest, having 

 been placed for its reception. The egg measures an inch and 

 a half in length, by seven-eighths of an inch in breadth ; is 

 almost equally rounded at both ends, and has a pure white 

 colour. By the beginning of August the young follow their 

 parents to the sea, and are then scarcely distinguishable from 

 them. During incubation they remain in the burrows, or at 

 their entrance, rarely going to seek for food before the dusk. 

 On wing this species is more lively than the Forked-tailed, 

 but less so than the Common Stormy Petrel. It keeps its 

 wings nearly at right angles with its body, and makes con- 

 siderable use of its feet, particularly during calm weather, 

 when it at times hops, or leaps for several feet, or pats the 

 water, whilst its wings are extended upwards with a fluttering 

 motion, and it inclines its head downwards to pick up its food 

 from the water ; and I have observed it immerse the whole 

 head beneath the surface, to seize on small fishes, in which it 

 generally succeeded. It can walk pretty well on the deck of 

 a vessel, or any other flat surface, and rise from it without 

 much difficulty. Its notes are different from those of the 

 Forked-tailed Petrel, and resemble the syllables kee-re-kee- 

 kee. They are more frequently emitted at night than by 

 day. I never could ascertain whether or not these birds 

 alight on the rigging at night, but my opinion is that they 

 do not, for the sailors, to whom I had offered premiums for 

 catching some of them, told me that, although they flew about 

 them while aloft, they could not see one standing anywhere. 

 I have rarely seen Wilson's Petrel farther to the eastward 

 than the Azores, and beyond these islands it generally aban- 



