PROCELLARIA PELAGICA 381 



on the Fferoes, the British Isles, the north-west coast of France, and 

 in some parts of the Mediterranean. It also visits Iceland, Scandi- 

 navia, South Greenland, Newfoundland, the Azores, Canaries, Madeira, 

 and the west coast of Africa as far as Cape Town. This hardy little 

 bird, our smallest web-footed species, is essentially oceanic in its 

 habits, and, except during the breeding season, or very bad weather, 

 is rarely seen on or very near land. Its names, both scientific and 

 trivial, are aptly given, for few birds seem so perfectly at home in 

 stormy weather, or so capable of resisting the fury of the elements. 

 Its powers of flight must indeed be extraordinary, for it will follow 

 vessels far out at sea for miles without resting, and apparently with- 

 out the least effort, skimming over the waves on outstretched wings, 

 within a foot or two of the surface of the water, and from time to 

 time, when picking up some morsel of food, touching the water with 

 its feet. 



Its principal food no doubt consists of small fish, but it appears 

 to be very fond of any fatty matter, and will eat all sorts of scraps 

 thrown from vessels. In captivity the bird has been kept alive on 

 oil for three weeks. 



The species is crepuscular and nocturnal as well as diurnal in its 

 habits, and during the breeding-season is said to remain quietly on 

 its nest in the daytime and issue forth chiefly at night. According 

 to Malherbe, the bird is sometimes caught at night by the Sicilian 

 fishermen, being attracted by the lights carried at the bows of their 

 boats. 



The Storm-Petrel breeds in crevices and holes in rocks, making 

 a slight nest of grasses on which it lays a single very oval white egg, 

 occasionally somewhat spotted with rufous. Average measurements 

 29 X 21 mm. 



Among sailors this species is best known by the name of " Mother 

 Carey's Chicken." 



According to Favier, Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel (Oceanodroma 

 leucorrhoa) has been obtained occasionally on the Marocco coast of 

 the Straits of Gibraltar, specimens having been picked up dead on 

 the shore after storms. It is also recorded by Loche from Algeria 

 and appears to have been obtained once at Syracuse in Sicily. 



