A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



capensis) is an inhabitant of the South 

 Atlantic and South Pacific Seas, occasionally 

 straggling northwards of the Equator. From 

 its resemblance to a pigeon, this bird is 

 known in Cape Colony as the Cape pigeon, 

 whilst another name is the Pintado petrel. 

 These birds are frequently met with in large 

 numbers in the Antarctic Seas, and whalers 

 report that they congregate round their 

 boats in order to secure any scraps which 

 may be thrown overboard. They are grace- 

 ful birds when seen hovering in the air or 

 else darting down to the surface of the 

 water, and often diving. During stormy 

 weather they not infrequently go close in to 

 land, whilst they are found breeding .on 

 Tristan da Cunha and Heard Island, and 

 probably breed also on some of the Antarctic 

 islands. The dove petrels (Prion) are much 

 smaller birds. The common dove petrel 

 (Prion desolatus) has a swallow-like flight, 

 and may be seen in flocks round about a 

 ship, as well as cruising over the sea. They 

 have been termed whale birds from their 

 habit of attendance on these mighty levia- 

 thans of the ocean. As regards their food, 

 it consists chiefly of the surface-life of the 

 32 



