Wilson's petrel. 265 



floating moUusca, and are extremely gratified with any kind of 

 fat animal matter thrown overboard, which they invariably dis- 

 cover, however small the morsel, or mountainous and foaming 

 the raging wave on which it may happen to float. On making 

 such discovery they suddenly stop in their airy and swallow- 

 like flight, and whirl instantly down to the water. Sometimes 

 nine or ten thus crowd together like a flock of chickens 

 scrambling for the same morsel ; at the same time, pattering 

 on the water with their feet, as if walking on the surface, they 

 balance themselves with gently fluttering and outspread 

 wings, and often dip down their heads to collect the sinking 

 object in pursuit. On other occasions, as if seeking relief from 

 their almost perpetual exercise of flight, they jerk and hop 

 widely over the water, rebounding, as their feet touch the sur- 

 face, with great agility and alertness. 



There is something cheerful and amusing in the sight of 

 these little voyaging flocks steadily following after the vessel, 

 so light and unconcerned, across the dreary ocean. During a 

 gale it is truly interesting to witness their intrepidity and ad- 

 dress. Unappalled by the storm that strikes terror into the 

 breast of the mariner, they are seen coursing wildly and rapidly 

 over the waves,; descending their sides, then mounting with the 

 breaking surge which threatens to burst over their heads, 

 sweeping through the hollow waves as in a sheltered valley, 

 and again mounting with the rising billow, they trip and jerk 

 sportively and securely on the surface of the roughest sea, 

 defying the horrors of the storm, and, like some magic being, 

 seem to take delight in braving overwhelming dangers. At 

 other times we see these aerial mariners playfully coursing 

 from side to side in the wake of the ship, making excursions 

 far and wide on every side, now in advance, then far behind, 

 returning again to the vessel as if she were stationary, though 

 moving at the most rapid rate. A little after dark they gener- 

 ally cease their arduous course and take their interrupted rest 

 upon the water, arriving in the wake of the vessel they had 

 left, as I have observed, by about nine or ten o'clock of the 

 following morning. In this way we were followed by the same 



