604 



LARIDJE. 



places, if near enough to land ; or, if on the open ocean, 

 lie asleep on the surface of the water, unnoticed, because 

 still and of small size. An overcast sky, however, awakes 

 them as twilight would, and they leave their hiding-places, 

 or rise from their watery bed, not because a storm is impend- 

 ing, but because the cloud which accompanies the storm 

 brings them the desired gloom. When in motion they 



THE STORMY PETREL. 



are more conspicuous than when at rest, and they follow 

 the wake of a ship for the same reason that other sea- 

 fowl do, for the sake of the offal thrown overboard. 

 They will sometimes accompany a ship for days, showing 

 that they have untiring power of wing, and to all but 

 the superstitious greatly relieving the monotony of the 

 voyage. 



