334 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [24] 



constant motion and activity on the wing. It seems to be as nearly 

 tireless as it is possible for any living animal to be. So rarely, indeed, 

 are they seen sitting at rest on the water, that sailors have acquired 

 certain superstitions connected therewith, though these beliefs are not 

 always the same. For instance, I have heard it said by some that to 

 see Carey chickens sitting on the water was a sign of a long spell of calm 

 weather, while others as firmly believed such an occurrence was a sure 

 precursor of a storm. 



Whether petrels rest at night or not I am unable to say positively, 

 though there are strong reasons for believing they do not. On hun- 

 dreds of occasions I have seen them flying about the vessel on moon- 

 light nights, and nothing is more common than for a man on lookout 

 on a dark foggy night to be startled by the chirp of a Carey chicken, 

 which, attracted by the brillianc}' of the riding light, suddenly finds 

 himself over the vessel's deck, and in too close proximity to quarters 

 he i)refers to avoid. 



Petrels have been used to some extent for bait, but because of the 

 small size of their bodies, a single bird being scarcely large enough to 

 bait two hooks, thej' have never been considered an important source 

 of bait supply. The fact that thej' are almost entirely indifferent to 

 the presence of man, and that they will gather in great numbers within 

 a few feet of the side of a boat or vessel, renders it an easy matter to 

 kill them. This being the case some of the '' shack fishermen," when 

 other sources of bait supply failed to afford the requisite quantity, often 

 killed hundreds of petrels in a single day to make up the deficiency, 

 though it is possible the slaughter of these birds was less than it would 

 have been, because of the superstition common among seafaring men, 

 that it is " unlucky " to kill Mother Carey's chickens. 



The most common and effective way of killing them was with a whip, 

 which was made by tying several parts of codline — each part 6 to 8 

 feet long — to a staffs or 6 feet in length. The petrels were tolled up 

 by throwing out a large piece of codfish liver, and when they had gath- 

 ered in a dense mass, huddling over the object Avhich attracted them, 

 swish went the thongs of the whip cutting their way through the 

 crowded flock, and perhaps killing or maiming a score or more at a 

 single sweep. By the time these were picked up another flock was 

 gathered, and the cruel work went on until, may be, 400 or 500 birds 

 were killed, though, perhaps, it was seldom that so great a number was 

 obtained at once. 



GUILLEMOTS. 



The foolish guillemot or murre ( JJria troile) Linn.* 



In spring large flocks of murres are seen on the fishing-banks, migrat- 

 ing northwardly. I have noticed them in greatest abundance on Ban- 



*Altliougli the Guillemots do not come under the Lead of birds used for bait, I have 

 nevertheless deemed it best to note their appearance on the banks. 



