288 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



storms, and so forth, simply because they more frequently see them 

 during bad weather. Their dark plumage tends to confirm the sailor 

 in his superstition. 



When the vessels sent to the whale fishery have passed the 

 Shetland Islands, and entered the northern seas, which are almost 

 always stormy, the Petrels are seen flying about amidst the eddies of 

 foam which are formed by the wake of the ship. They keep in 

 attendance on vessels until something is thrown overboard, for they 

 are extremely voracious, and especially fond of fat. When whalers 

 begin to cut up a whale, the Petrels flock around, to the number of 

 several thousands. They are not afraid to approach so close that 

 they may be knocked down or killed with a blow from a boat-hook. 

 Their plumage is so close that shot fired at them, except at close 

 range, will not penetrate.* 



Petrels walk on land with much difficulty. When fatigued, they 

 sleep on the water with their heads placed under their wings, allowing 

 themselves to be borne about at the mercy of the wind. 



The most remarkable species are the Stormy Petrel (Procellaria 

 peiagica), well known upon the coasts of Europe; the Capped Petrel 

 (P. hasitata), marked with a spot of white on the head ; Wilson's 

 Petrel (P. Wilsonit}, without a forked tail, but much resembling the 

 Forked-tailed Petrel (P. Leachii], which has a white spot at the root 

 of the tail; and the Fulmar Petrel (P.glacialis, Fig. 107), which is 

 principally found in the Arctic regions, but is numerous on parts of 

 the north coast of Scotland. 



Under the name of Shear-waters (Pvffinius} those species of 

 Petrels are classed that have bills as long as, and sometimes longer 

 than, their heads, and their nostrils in two distinct tubes. Among 

 these are the Grey Shear-water (Puffinius cinereus], which is very 

 common in the Mediterranean, and builds its nest in Corsica ; the 

 English Shear- water (Puffinius anglorum), which inhabits the northern 

 regions of Europe ; the Brown Shear-water (P. aquinoctialis) which 

 inhabits the Southern Ocean, and is frequently met with at the 

 Cape. 



The Albatross f is the largest and most bulky of all the Birds 

 which fly over the surface of the sea. It belongs principally to the 



* The author is evidently unacquainted with modern fire-arms. I, for ex- 

 periment, tried a lock-fast Dougall centre-fire gun upon petrels, and found that all 

 that was required to kill them, when within fifty yards, or even more, was to hold 

 it straight. ED. 



t From the Portuguese word Alcatraz, applied by the early navigators of that 

 nation to cormorants and large sea-birds. Ep. 



