THE PETREL. 



This species, called by sailors, " Mother Gary's chick- 

 en," resembles a swallow in its general appearance, size, 

 and flight. It is rarely seen on our shores, except in 

 some of the northern islands, where it breeds in the 

 holes of rocks. It makes no nest, but lays one lone 



Birds of this kind are sometimes found dead near to 

 the coast, and at others at a distance. One specimen 

 was killed near Bath, and another so far inland as 

 Derbyshire ; and hence it has been thought that they 

 sometimes fly across the land, or perhaps are driven in- 

 land by the strength of the gales frequently occurring 

 at the season when they have been found. But the 

 cause of the mortality that prevails in different parts, it 

 is difficult to determine. 



Petrels live remote from the land except in the breed- 

 ing season. They are seen in great numbers all over 

 the Atlantic, and thus led one of our poets to say : 



