20 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
A bird resembling a snipe was also seen to-day, 
but we had such an imperfect view of him that it, 
was impossible to determine what species he be- 
longed to. 
Wednesday, 2d.— ‘The weather has been ra- 
ther boisterous the whole of this day; in the after- 
noon in particular it blew a strong gale of wind, 
which soon rose a heavy sea; and, if we are to put 
any confidence in an augury, which seamen always 
regard as a sure indication of bad weather, we may 
anticipate a heavy gale very soon. The augury I 
allude to is the appearance this afternoon of a flock 
of Mother Carey’s Chickens, or Stormy Peterels, 
(Procellaria Pelagica, Lin.) under the ship’s stern. 
These birds have always been considered by sailors 
‘as the harbingers of storms; and if the reports on 
record concerning them be true, they certainly de- 
serve the mariner’s notice. Although not the bearers 
of welcome intelligence, yet they warn him of the 
-approaching storm, it issaid, sometimes even six hours 
before it happens. ‘Their appearing so long as this 
-before the coming on of bad weather, may be regarded 
in some measure as a proof of: their possessing some 
instinct, through which they are aware of the change 
‘that is about to ensue; unless we admit (which I 
think is not improbable), that their coming to ships 
is amatter of mere chance, whilst flying from the 
rage of the tempest that prevails, but at such a dis- 
tance that it requires hours to reach the vessels... As 
far, however, as my own observation goes, I cannot 
bring to my recollection any instance where they 
‘were seen before a gale commenced, or at least be- 
fore such apparent indications of it were seen, as 
