448 THE STORMY PETREL. 



enemies are incessantly looking out for its heart and 

 liver, on which alone they feed, leaving the rest of the 

 body untouched. 



At night, therefore, only, they venture forth, but not 

 with much safety, for then a new danger awaits them, 

 in the shape of the seal-catchers, who attract them by 

 torches, and kill them in multitudes, for the sake of 

 their oil. They probably, however, prefer the darkness 

 of night for other reasons; for our common Stormy 

 Petrels, whose hearts and livers are in no danger from 

 enemies by day, are observed by the people employed in 

 the cod-fisheries of the north, to come forth like the Bat 

 at dusk, when they see them skimming over the water, 

 catching a glimpse of them only by the white spots on 

 their rumps, and the side feathers of their tails. But, 

 though, apparently so wild and solitary, if caught and 

 taken home, they will become so tame as to suffer them- 

 selves, without the least fear, to be touched and handled. 

 One kept in a cage for some time, was supported by 

 means of smearing the feathers of the breast with train 

 oil, which the bird afterwards sucked with its bill. When 

 the oil was placed in a saucer in the cage, it would dip 

 its feathers therein, and then suck the oil from them. 



Sailors have a superstitious dislike to the Stormy 

 Petrels, or, as they are commonly called, Mother Carey's 

 Ohickens, believing that their appearance forebodes 

 storms, with which they are in some way or other con- 

 nected. That storms do frequently occur when, or soon 

 after, these birds are seen, is certainly true; but the 

 cause probably is, that, instinctively feeling the approach 

 of a gale, they are disquieted, and are anxiously awaiting 

 its arrival, and, therefore, hover round the ship, which 

 they imagine may shelter them from its fury; for, unlike 

 the Albatross, or Gull, they seem to dislike the war of 

 elements ; and to this dislike may probably be attributed 

 the otherwise unaccountable circumstance of their being 

 so often found even many miles inland. The fact might 



