THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 181 



water, the tide being so far out that it was im- 

 possible to wade to it), and we scrutinised the hght 

 wing coverts with care ; but before it was quite 

 within range, a strong gust blew it away to the 

 Scotch side of the estuary, where we saw it darting 

 to and fro until it disappeared from view. 



Genus OCEANITES. 



0. Oceanicus. Wilson's Petrel. 



Wilson's Petrel is an accidental visitant, but 

 has occurred on two different occasions. The 

 first was obtained many years ago by the late 

 Mr. T. C. Heysham {Yarrell, B. B., Vol. Ill, 

 p. 516, 1st ed.), but the exact locality appears to be 

 at present unknown, though there is reason to think 

 that it may have occurred in the Alston district. 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., informs us that he 

 examined this specimen at Mr. H. Saunders' sale, 

 when it entered Lord Lilford's collection, and that 

 he is fully satisfied of its authenticity as a Cumbrian 

 specimen. The second occurrence (hitherto unre- 

 corded) took ]Dlace in 1881, in the vicinity of 

 Brampton. Capt. Johnson, an ornithologist of 

 long standing, examined this bird in the flesh, and 

 remarks that its identity was rendered certain by 

 the conspicuous patches upon the webs of this rare 

 Petrel. It was found dead after some boisterous 

 weather by one of Capt. Johnson's servants, but 

 was not in sufficiently good preservation to admit 

 of its being mounted. 



