274 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



the vent, which are white. Legs, toes, and webs 

 black. 



The female does not differ from the male. 



Situation and Locality. In old Puffin and rabbit- 

 burrows, holes in cliffs, under large boulders, and 

 in holes in walls. In the Scilly Islands, Lundy, 

 at suitable places along the Welsh coast, the west- 

 ern and northern coasts of Scotland, and the 

 islands lying off them ; round the Irish coast, but 

 neither on the east coast of England nor Scotland. 

 Our illustration represents a boulder of rock under 

 which a Stormy Petrel had its nest on Ailsa Craig 

 for several years, according to an informant who 

 had lived for a long time upon th:s sea fowl haunted 

 rock, and who took a great interest in the doings 

 of his feathered neighbours. 



Materials. A few blades of dry grass generally, 

 but the egg is often laid on the bare ground. 



Egg. One. White, rough, and chalky in ap- 

 pearance, with small, dust-like, reddish-brown 

 spots in an almost indistinguishable zone round 

 the larger end. Size about i.i by .83 in. (See 

 Plate XIV.) 



Time. End of May, June, July, and even as 

 late as September. 



Remarks. Resident, but keeping to the open 

 sea, except during the breeding season, or when 

 driven ashore by violent storms. Notes : a warbling 

 chatter, sung whilst the bird is sitting on her egg. 

 Local and other names : Mother Carey's Chicken, 

 Stormy Petrel, Little Petrel, Witch, Allamotti, 

 Sea Swallow, Spency, Assilag, Mitty. Sits very 

 closely. 



