THE FORK-TAILED PETREL. 871 
scarcely fly; and in the flock there are generally a few which have become so 
overloaded that it is only when they have been almost run down by the vessel, 
that they at last disgorge their surplus and succeed in leaving the water 
A. W. ANTHONY. 
On the 25th of August, 1907, Mr. Bowles witnessed a flight of these 
Shearwaters at Moclips in Gray’s Harbor County. The weather had been 
foggy for some days, but the fog lifted on this occasion about an hour before 
sundown, and discovered a stream of birds passing northward about a quarter 
of a mile offshore. The living ribbon had a width of ten or a dozen birds 
and moved continuously at the rate of twenty or thirty miles an hour until no 
longer visible from shore by reason of darkness. From a quarter to half a 
million Shearwaters might have passed in the time noted; and of course it was 
impossible to tell how long the movement had been in progress. 
That the prevailing species at this time was tenuirostris, was evidenced 
by a considerable number of dead and dying birds washed ashore on this and 
preceding days. These Shearwaters, it seems, in company with other sea- 
birds of several species, were suffering from the attacks of enteric parasites, 
tape worms. ‘The specimens examined were very much emaciated, and their 
intestines were found to be packed solid from end to end with these disgusting 
creatures, rendering death by starvation inevitable. 
No. 353. 
FORK-TAILED PETREL. 
A. O. U. No. 105. Oceanodroma furcata (Gmel.). 
Synonym.—Gray Fork-TAILED PETREL. 
Description.—4Adult: Bluish ash, lightening below and on greater wing- 
coverts, palest, to whitish, on throat and under tail-coverts; tertials tipped with 
white; lesser wing-coverts, edge of wing, and exposed primaries dusky; a dusky 
patch about eye; inner webs of primaries lighter ash to whitish, and outer web of 
outer tail-feather definitely white; bill and feet black. Length 8.00-9.00 (203.25 
228.6) ; wing 6.00-6.50 (152.4-165.1) ; tail 4.00 (101.6), forked about 1.00 (25.4) ; 
bill .60 (15.2) ; tarsus .85 (21.6). 
Recognition Marks.—Chewitix size, but appearmg more like Nighthawk; 
ashy blue coloration distinctive. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington, but possibly does so. Egg: 
subelliptical, pure white or with ring of purplish black dots about larger end, 
placed at end of small burrow in earth-bank. Av. size, 1.25 x .95 (31.8 x 24.1). 
Season: June; one chick. 
General Range.—North Pacific Ocean, breeding on certain islands off the 
