38 BLACK-AND-WHITE BIRDS. 



hooked, tlie feet webbed. The Storm-Petrel is the 

 smallest bird having webbed feet. Summer migrant. 



Egg. — 1, white, sometimes with faint reddish- 

 brown spots; 1"15 X '85 inch (plate 123). 



Nest. — A scanty grass bedding at the end of a bur- 

 row, but sometimes the egg is placed on the ground 

 under shelter of stones or in openings in the rocks. 



Distribution. — On all British waters, but breeding 

 principall}'^ on low islands off the Scotch and Irish 

 coasts, and at some points on the Welsh coast, on an 

 islet near Lundy, and in the Scilly group. 



From its winter wandering over the surface of the 

 open seas, the Storm-Petrel comes in about May to 

 its breeding-haunts in the rocky islands lying off the 

 Scotch and Irish coasts, also to some points on the 

 west coast of England, but not the east. It places its 

 one white egg in holes among the rocks or in a burrow 

 in the turf, going out only at night-time to procure 

 the oily substance with which it feeds its young one. 

 After the breeding season the birds take to the open 

 waters again, and may then be found on all our 

 seas. Usually Storm -Petrels go singly, skimming the 

 waves in ceaseless wandering, at times paddling along 

 the surface with their hanging, webbed feet. A 

 better view is obtained, however, when a small party 

 forms in the wake of a steamer, following for miles 

 close astern and low down to the water, for the sake 

 of the matter — as one must suppose — churned up by 

 the screw. At such times, with the solid white patch 

 on the rump showing clearly, they resemble House- 

 Martins in their general appearance. What they 

 find or how they take it I am at a loss to say ; for I 



